France is set to close up to 500 of its high schools, either fully or partially, on Monday as a security measure amid ongoing and increasingly violent student protests. The precautionary closures come as protest organizers have called for a resumption of large-scale demonstrations early in the week.

These student-led demonstrations, which began last month, are fueled by a range of grievances including complaints about large class sizes, a lack of teachers, and other issues within the French education system. The protests have escalated, leading to disruptions, blockades, and clashes with authorities.

Education Minister Edouard Geffray announced the planned school closures on Sunday, stating that security conditions had not been met in approximately 400 to 500 high schools. He noted that 24 schools had been "burned or ransacked" since the protests began. Geffray characterized the closures as a safety precaution aimed at facilitating a "partial, progressive return to lessons."

Protest organizers have criticized the government, particularly President Emmanuel Macron's administration, for a perceived lack of concrete measures to address their concerns. They have called for renewed, widespread protests on Tuesday, indicating dissatisfaction with the official response.

Official figures reveal the extent of the disruption. Since the protests erupted in mid-September, at least 170 students and 78 educational personnel have been injured. On the preceding Friday, at least 400 out of France's 3,700 high schools were closed, with another 560 experiencing protests or disruptions. The minister indicated that Monday's affected numbers would be comparable to Friday's figures.

The protests initially started at a high school in a Paris suburb on September 17, stemming from issues like a shortage of teaching staff and long school hours. The movement has since spread across the nation, leading to widespread class strikes and demonstrations.

Authorities reported making over 5,000 arrests in the past week, with 85 percent of those arrested being minors. However, critics have raised concerns about "disproportionate" police violence. Human rights group Amnesty International has urged that student protesters "must be listened to, not repressed."

Minister Geffray has alleged that far-left activists have infiltrated and "hijacked" the student movement, engaging in extreme violence. This claim comes as organizers insist on the need for their voices to be heard and for tangible government action.