France to close up to 500 schools on Monday over student protests

Up to 500 schools across France will be partially or totally closed on Monday after clashes between riot police and student protesters in recent days, the French education minister said on Sunday. Lessons will be totally or partly suspended in some 400 to 500 high schools as security conditions have not been fulfilled, Édouard Geffray said. He also said 24 schools had been burned or ransacked since the start of the protests. Thousands of students have been demonstrating over education standards and the protests, which started last week, have spread from Paris to other cities, including Montpellier, Nantes and Marseille. High school pupils and others have objected to a lack of teachers, overcrowded classrooms and run-down buildings.