France to overhaul university admissions platform and invest billions in school upgrades after unrest
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The French government announced a plan to replace the Parcoursup admissions system, add 15,000 university places and allocate up to €4 billion for school renovations following weeks of protests and arrests.
Paris – The French government said on Monday it will replace the national online university admissions platform, Parcoursup, and introduce a series of education reforms aimed at easing student discontent that sparked weeks of protests and thousands of arrests. Higher Education Minister Philippe Baptiste outlined a "substantial change" to the system, with a new platform to be ready by 2028 and interim measures for the 2027 admissions round, including more detailed selection criteria and mandatory explanations for rejected applications.
The package also includes a pledge of up to €4 billion in low-interest loans for regional authorities to renovate schools through 2030, a separate €1 billion plan for university upgrades, and a cap on first-year high-school class sizes at 28 students in disadvantaged schools from 2027. The government will maintain planned teaching posts, create 500 new secondary-school jobs and increase student grants in line with inflation starting in the 2027 academic year.
Student groups responded with mixed reactions. Nathanaël Combary of Renouveau Lycéen said, "We have managed to address some of the students' demands," adding that the term "some" was intentional. In contrast, Clément Vieillot of Mouvement Cachan 94 complained, "We have received crumbs compared to what we are asking for," noting the gap between the demand for 250,000 additional university places and the government's offer of 15,000.
The unrest, which peaked on Oct. 17 with riots, looting and the storming of municipal buildings, led to about 2,400 arrests at that time and 1,435 arrests after a later demonstration that drew between 410,000 and 800,000 participants, according to authorities and organizers. President Emmanuel Macron, during a visit to Marseille, said he had asked the government to address the "legitimate demands at the root of this protest movement."
The planned replacement of Parcoursup extends beyond Macron's term, with the 2028 deadline set for a successor administration. Legislative steps may be required to finalize the new system, while the broader reforms aim to improve school conditions and curb the grievances that have fueled the protests.