France promises to replace its university admissions after riots and thousands of arrests
The government will add interim education measures and 15,000 higher education places as it tries to end unrest over admissions rules and living costs.
- On Monday, the French government pledged to replace its national online university admissions platform, Parcoursup, by 2028, seeking to quell student anger after weeks of mass protests over education and living costs.
- Recent nationwide demonstrations saw turnout estimates ranging from more than 400,000 to nearly 800,000 as students criticized the platform for unclear selection criteria, unequal opportunities, and barriers to preferred courses.
- Higher Education Minister Philippe Baptiste announced "substantial change" for 2027 during a news conference, shortly after Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu met with student representatives Monday to discuss their grievances.
- Though two student groups welcomed some concessions, they called for protests to continue; the government had deployed 3,000 additional substitute teachers to struggling high schools on October 8.
- These measures follow France's worst unrest in years on October 17, when demonstrations over school funding descended into rioting and looting, prompting President Emmanuel Macron to call for addressing legitimate demands.
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264 Articles
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France offers concessions to protestersAfter weeks of student-led protests over poor conditions in French schools, the government has promised to dedicate €4 billion ($4.5 billion) to school renovations, improve teaching, implement other education reforms, and to replace its controversial university admissions platform by 2028. But while representatives from two student groups welcomed the concessions, they said the government had not yet met th…
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Arab NewsFrench students vow more protests despite Macron government’s concessions
French student leaders vowed to go on protesting despite government concessions on education, keeping pressure on President Emmanuel Macron as the movement spreads to unions and other activists, stokes unrest and deepens the economic damage.
France announces education reforms, but students to continue protests
The French government has announced a series of educational reforms after meeting with lycée students leaders, including a reform of the Parcoursup university places system and the recruitment of extra teachers, but students have been urged to continue their protests.
France to introduce new university admissions system in 2028 after student protests
Called Parcoursup, the system handles applications to universities and other higher education courses. Students have criticised unclear selection criteria and unequal access to their preferred courses.
Because schools are marode and teachers are missing, French students have been taking to the streets for weeks. Now the government makes concessions to them.
The French government on Monday promised to reform the education system and allocate additional funds to it, in an attempt to calm the anger of schoolchildren and students who have been protesting for weeks against problems in the education system and the cost of living.
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