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France deploys over 3,000 substitute teachers in response to school protests

In light of ongoing school protests, the French government plans the short-term deployment of more than 3,000 substitute teachers to high schools.

9 October 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

AI-generatedWritten by an AI system, editorially responsible — how we work

In France, the government has responded to ongoing school protests with an action plan that includes the short-term deployment of more than 3,000 substitute teachers. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced that the additional teachers will primarily be placed in 114 high schools where the teacher shortage is most urgent. Reports indicate that the protests are driven by demands for more funding for the maintenance and modernization of dilapidated school buildings and to combat the teacher shortage.

According to the Ministry of Education, there were significant disruptions at educational institutions during the protests. Preliminary figures suggest that 528 schools faced impediments to their opening, marking a 41% decrease compared to the previous day. The situation seems to be easing, as reflected in the declining number of blocked schools. Students protested for several days to voice their concerns.

The schools that remain blocked are often those that suffer significantly from teacher shortages. The French government has also announced that specialized software will be deployed to identify schools in particularly critical situations. Education Minister Édouard Geffray explained that this move is part of a broader plan to stabilize school operations and ensure that students continue to have access to education.

The protests, particularly at high schools, are partly linked to demands for better learning conditions and improvements to school infrastructure. In recent days, there has been a remarkable increase in demonstrations focused on various demands related to the public education system. The government now faces pressure to find a constructive solution to the highlighted issues and to alleviate the situation in schools.

By announcing the deployment of substitute teachers, the government aims to ensure that classes at the affected high schools resume as quickly as possible. This move could also help reduce the tensions created by the school protests. Furthermore, it demonstrates that the government is responding to the concerns of students and their representatives.

So far, reactions to the measures have been mixed. While some students view the initiative as a positive effort to maintain educational operations, among the demonstrators, there are voices calling for the government to implement more comprehensive reforms in the education sector.

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