World News for Students of English

09-10-2026 15:00

Thousands of students and teachers are protesting across France because public high schools are in terrible condition.

Classrooms are overcrowded, buildings are falling apart with leaks and rats, and there are not enough substitute teachers when staff are sick.

The protests began near Paris and spread to many cities. Unfortunately, some protests became very violent. Protesters set fire to bins and damaged school buildings, while riot police used tear gas and grenades to clear the streets. Police arrested thousands of people.

The French Prime Minister said that violence will not fix the school system. With an important presidential election coming in six months, these angry protests show that the country is divided over public education and government spending.

Difficult words: substitute teacher (a teacher who takes over a class when the regular teacher is sick or away), violent (when someone uses force to hurt people or break things), divided (split into different groups with different ideas).

You can watch the original video in the Level 3 section.