On Tuesday, secondary schools across France were closed or partially closed for a third day as students joined in with the 'yellow vests' in venting their anger at French President Emmanuel Macron's government.
Schools in Versailles, Créteil and Marseille were particularly affected as dozens of schools were disturbed by protests which saw bins set on fire and scuffles with the police were reported.
Near Paris, police fired tear gas at a group of students who threw stones at them.
So, what exactly are they angry about?
The students oppose the government's recent education reforms of the Baccalaureate and of the lycée (the last three years of secondary school) which are currently being implemented.
The reforms aim to orientate students toward specific degrees sooner and to eliminate the three broad subject choices — science, literature or social sciences.
Before their final year students will now choose two specific “major” subjects as well as two “minors” alongside the standard curriculum. And instead of being based purely on results in the final exams, the new Bac grade would incorporate marks and test results obtained throughout the two final years of school.
Students are also against last year's shake-up of university entrance procedures which they see as being to selective. On top of that, the protesters oppose the government's plans to introduce a national service called the SNU for all young adults by 2026.
[COMMUNIQUÉ]
L'@UNL_SD invite les lycéennes et les lycéens à se mobiliser le mardi 11 décembre par des blocages et des occupations. Le #Moratoire ne suffira pas, nous exigeons de vraies mesures éducatives. pic.twitter.com/bgUupgxFmH
— UNL-SD (@UNL_SD) December 4, 2018
“There are many reasons why we're protesting but our anger comes from the same place as the yellow vests and the government has made some really destructive reforms. It's in our interest to be on their side,” president of the UNL student union Louis Boyard told French media.
On Monday, over one hundred lycées were completely or partially blocked and protests sometimes turned violent as protesters vandalised property, threw projectiles at police and set dustbins on fires. Incidents were reported around Paris and in Bordeaux, Pau, Limoges, Dijon, Lyon and Toulouse. In the capital, some schools were disrupted, but none were closed completely.
Mouvement des lycéens. Des incidents dans plusieurs lycées de la région parisienne https://t.co/K76CSgThnF
— Ouest-France (@OuestFrance) December 4, 2018
More student protests are expected this week as unions call for protests on Thursday and Friday with anger against the government also spreading to ambulance drivers, farmers, the building industry and a transport union calling for action.
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I agree with the students. As I understand it from local friends, 14 year old students are to select the studies that they want to take in order to pursue their future careers. As on 17 year old told me, her career choice at age 14 is vastly different from the one she now wishes to pursue, and under to new system she would have had to have pursued her original plan.