2,000 arrested, hundreds of schools shut as students protest across France: What are their demands?

France has been rocked by mass student protests, with thousands of teenagers demonstrating outside schools across the country this week. Hundreds of high schools were shut or barricaded on Friday (October 2), while over 2,000 people have been arrested in what is being described as the worst crisis faced by the French government in months. Dozens of students and education staffers have been injured in the protests.

What are the students' grievances?

The protesting students have accused the government of neglecting secondary education, describing harsh conditions which include collapsing ceilings, leaks, and cockroaches. Some of the demonstrators have flagged excessively long school days and a lack of teaching staff. Students are also protesting the government's lack of attention on poor results in international education rankings.

Other reasons for the students to hit the streets are overcrowded classes, poor teacher pay, a difficult online system for university applications, and scorching temperatures in classrooms during the May-June heatwave earlier this year. Several teachers have also come out in support of the protests.

Where are protests happening?

School infrastructure has been damaged in the protests. In capital Paris on Friday morning, the entrances of two high schools -- Léonard de Vinci in the south of the city and Gaston-Bachelard in the south-east -- were damaged due to fire.

The demonstrations have spread to several other cities, including Montpellier, Nantes, and Marseille. French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said more than 700 of the country's 3,700 schools had been affected by the stir.

What does the govt say?

The French government said the students' issues were legitimate but condemned the violence during the protests. Meanwhile, students have accused the police of using excessive force and causing injuries by regularly firing teargas to disperse demonstrators. Several students have been wounded, while the education ministry said over 60 education staffers suffered injuries, including 40 school principals.

An investigation has been launched after a 14-year-old boy in Val d’Oise sustained serious injuries to his mouth and jaw after the police allegedly thrashed him and fired a form of rubber-bullet launcher.

'Just want to learn in decent conditions'

The protests are likely to continue. "Young people just want to study and learn in decent conditions," a 19-year-old protester said, according to The Guardian. "The French state seems surprised about worsening school results, but they’re doing nothing to remedy that."

The protests have come at a crucial time for French President Emmanuel Macron, just six months before next year's presidential election.