The French government formally pledged on Monday to abolish and replace the national online university admissions system in response to students’ anger, following weeks of protests over the education system and rising living costs.
Philippe Baptiste, France’s Minister of Higher Education, Research and Space, announced an in-depth overhaul of the online system for next year before it is replaced by an entirely new system by 2028. In response to protesters’ discontent, the government also announced a package of measures, including up to 4 billion euros, about US$4.5 billion, in low-interest loans to regional authorities for school-building renovations through 2030, along with around US$1.1 billion in separate state funding for university buildings through 2029.
The government also plans to cap classes in the first year of upper secondary school at 28 students from 2027, cancel planned teacher cuts, create another 500 jobs and add at least 15,000 higher-education places in 2027–2028, while increasing student scholarship allowances in line with inflation.
These major concessions followed large-scale violent protests in France involving reportedly more than 550,000 people, which subsequently escalated into attacks, looting of shops and arson across the country, leading to around 2,400 arrests. Text: Rithy
