Clashes between police and high school students are continuing across France, as a protest movement over teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms and crumbling school buildings spreads. 

Students are demanding better conditions to learn, but the unrest has left many schools badly damaged and hundreds of them closed. 

Dramatic scenes are playing out, with demonstrators seen lighting fires, hurling objects at law enforcement officers, and causing widespread disruption, with fire trucks and buses set alight in some areas. 

According to France's interior ministry, around 2,000 people have already been arrested and more than 65 teachers injured, as well as dozens of police and firefighters. In some areas, riot police have also been deployed. 

In the suburb of Saint-Denis, just north of Paris, a student who didn't attend class today due to his school being closed explained to CGTN why the protests were taking place

"Ceilings are falling, there are rats, cockroaches, and so on," he said. "And honestly, we can't make any progress under these kinds of conditions." 

After repeated demonstrations throughout the week, the student – who wished to remain anonymous – says the aim is to get the education ministry to listen and make serious changes. 

"We can't work under normal conditions like everyone else," he said. "So we've organized these protests to make our voices heard." 

Former student Marcus said he understands why pupils are angry, highlighting broken windows and absent teachers who are not being replaced. 

"I think it's actually kind of necessary because we know there are high schools where the situations and working conditions are pretty tough," said Marcus. But while he supports students making their demands heard, he questioned the damage caused during some of these protests. 

"While the goal is, in principle, to secure better conditions, it's not smart to vandalize your own school," he said. "That's not how we'll get people to listen to us." 

France's government is condemning the unrest as "urban violence", while Education Minister Edouard Geffray says students' concerns must be heard. 

He met student representatives on Friday, but they left saying no concrete measures have been agreed upon to address their demands. 

Renewed demonstrations are set to take place on Tuesday, with teaching unions also backing the strike action.