Student Minister Talks Fail as School Blockades Persist

Education Minister Edouard Geffray met student union representatives for the third time on Thursday via videoconference, but the hour-long session ended without progress on demands regarding school infrastructure, the Parcoursup admissions platform, and timetables. Union leaders said they walked out because they were not being heard.

The Union syndicale lycéenne (USL) and Les Lycéens! announced they will no longer negotiate with the Education Ministry, demanding direct talks with the Prime Minister's office at Matignon instead. Both unions called for students to join Yellow Vest protests scheduled for Saturday, October 17.

“We left the meeting because we were not listened to... the mobilization will also continue during the holidays and at the start of the new term.”

While the minister highlighted progress on teacher replacements — reducing the number of schools in "great difficulty" from 114 to 41 — he ruled out scrapping Parcoursup or reforming the baccalaureate before the presidential election. Only 35% of 3,024 promised substitute teachers have been deployed, with 920 additional recruitments authorized.

Blockades continued Thursday at nearly 200 high schools, with a new blockade at the prestigious HEC business school in Jouy-en-Josas. The Interior Ministry reported 36 IGPN investigations opened into police violence since the movement began.

Unions vowed to continue mobilization through the school holidays starting Friday and into the next term. A follow-up meeting proposed for Monday was rejected by the USL as pointless.