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France withdraws BTS and prep school fees for non-scholarship students after protests
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On October 1, 2026, French Education Minister Edouard Geffray announced on France 2 that the government would withdraw a measure from the 2027 budget that would have introduced tuition fees for non-scholarship students in BTS (advanced vocational diplomas) and preparatory classes for elite universities. The fees were set at 178 euros for BTS and 270 euros for preparatory classes. The decision came in response to widespread high school blockades and student protests that escalated on the same day. The measure had been pushed by Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu's office without the support of the education or higher education ministers. Opposition figures, including CGT Secretary General Sophie Binet and presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon, criticized the proposal as a provocation. The government framed the withdrawal as a way to avoid further inflaming tensions, with Geffray noting that the decision would normally be made by Parliament.
Source report
Education Minister Edouard Geffray leaves the Élysée Palace in Paris on October 1, 2026. LUDOVIC MARIN / AFP
Education Minister Edouard Geffray announced on Thursday evening, October 1, that the government would abandon its plan to charge registration fees for non-scholarship students in preparatory classes for elite grandes écoles and BTS programs. The measure had been included in the 2027 budget proposal presented earlier that day.
U-Turn Amid Escalating Protests
The government had planned to charge non-scholarship students €178 per year for BTS programs and €270 per year for preparatory classes. The proposal was withdrawn almost immediately after it was announced, as a wave of high school blockades — joined by university students demanding increased funding — escalated across numerous French cities on Thursday.
"The government will take the initiative to withdraw it... after discussions with unions and the prime minister," Geffray stated during an appearance on France 2's 8 p.m. news program.
Political Backlash
CGT Secretary General Sophie Binet condemned the proposal sharply: "While our high schools are on fire, both literally and figuratively, the budget contains yet another provocation." She added, "I want to ask: Is Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu an arsonist?"
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the La France Insoumise leader and presidential candidate, wrote on X: "The government is provoking student youth." He accused Lecornu of "choosing the moment of youth mobilization in high schools and universities to worsen social injustice in education."
Government's Rationale
The government had defended the measure on grounds of equity. It argued that "the current system of free tuition applies uniformly, without consideration of students' financial resources, whereas university registration fees take individual circumstances into account."
Geffray noted that the proposal was part of the finance bill normally debated in Parliament, where it could be amended or removed. "The government will take the initiative to withdraw it, but normally, in a democratic debate, this is decided in Parliament," he said.
Behind the Scenes
According to Le Monde, the measure was pushed by Matignon (the Prime Minister's office) without the support of either the education minister or the higher education minister. Given the ongoing high school mobilization, which continued Thursday afternoon, the decision to withdraw was seen as a way to avoid further inflaming tensions.
The Ministry of Higher Education confirmed the withdrawal but declined to comment further.
Source
Politique : Toute l’actualité sur Le Monde.fr.Western