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France forced to step up security at schools

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France forced to step up security at schools
A forensic expert and a police car are seen outside Jean-Perrin nursery school in Aubervilliers.Photo: AFP

UPDATED: France's education minister announced on Monday that the government would be stepping up security at schools after a teacher falsely claimed to have been stabbed by a man shouting about the terror group Isis.

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On Monday afternoon, the teacher admitted to making up the entire story about being attacked, according to the prosecutor. However, his claims had sent shockwaves throughout the country, prompting a strong reaction from the French government.

Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, France’s minister of education called the alleged attack on the nursery school teacher near Paris “an unacceptable act of immense gravity”.

The minister confirmed that security would be stepped up at schools in the country, where measures are already in place following the Paris attacks of November 13th.

"We will continue to work with the Ministry of Interior, to strengthen security measures in a context where, yes, schools do feel threatened,” said Vallaud-Belkacem.

The teacher had claimed that a man armed with a box cutter had entered the classroom at around 7.30am while he was preparing for the day.

He said he was stabbed several times by the man, who then shouted “This is for Daesh. This is a warning”. Daesh is another term for Isis." The teacher claimed that the attacker had fled, sparking a police hunt.

Local authorities have said that the police presence would be stepped up at all the schools in the Aubervilliers area.

The school where the teacher worked remained closed on Monday with authorities and police set to hold a meeting on Tuesday.

French authorities were particularly concerned because earlier this month the Islamic State's French-language magazine Dar-al-Islam called in its November edition for its followers to kill teachers in the French education system, describing them as "enemies of Allah".

"This education, in the case of France in particular, is a means of propaganda used to impose the corrupt way of thought established by the Judeo-masonry," it said.

"Muslims must know the French education system is built against religion and Islam as the only religion of truth cannot cohabit with this fanatic secularism."

With France under a state of emergency following the Paris attacks, security measures are already in place for schools including a ban on parking outside the front of establishments. Police patrols have already been stepped up although school trips are now allowed after they were banned in the immediate aftermath of the attacks.

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