High school students across France staged a new wave of protests Tuesday, challenging government efforts to resolve a growing crisis that has persisted for more than a week. Demonstrators blocked entrances to hundreds of secondary schools nationwide, while riot police were deployed to maintain order, occasionally clashing with protesters.

The unrest, initially driven by high school pupils, has expanded to include university student unions, with a rally scheduled in Paris and education unions calling for a general strike. Although most demonstrations remained peaceful, some incidents of vandalism and fires broke out, prompting police to respond with tear gas, batons, and blast balls. Human rights organizations and student groups have accused law enforcement of excessive force.

In a televised address Wednesday evening, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu pledged that the government would unveil a plan by the end of October to address the ongoing turmoil. Lecornu denied that security forces had received "orders to confront" young protesters, but skepticism remained widespread among the students. Speaking from a demonstration in Nantes, 17-year-old Camille said, "We don’t want words, we want action."

Similarly, in Rennes, students expressed frustration with the government’s response. Eighteen-year-old Hanae described herself as "disappointed and unconvinced" by Lecornu’s comments, while fellow protester Salyna, 17, characterized the delayed response as inadequate for what they consider an urgent crisis.

In parallel, Education Minister Edouard Gefray sought to ease tensions by promising an “emergency plan” to address teacher shortages within days. Gefray met with students at a high school in Reims to engage in dialogue and planned further discussions with representatives from the main student associations and government officials later in the day.

The wave of protests comes amid a broader backdrop of dissatisfaction with education policies and working conditions in schools, reflecting ongoing challenges for France’s government in managing social tensions among youth and educators alike.