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The Front National leader said the break-down in secularism in the country’s schools was having a devastating effect on discipline. Speaking at a French election debate this evening, she vowed to separate church and state if elected later this spring. Marine Le Pen, who is anti-immigration and anti-Brussels, said the problem is also being worsened by foreign students speaking their own languages at school.

She said: “We have to do away with teaching the languages of cultural origins of children. “It means these children are staying to close to their original culture rather than learning French.” READ MORE: Will Marine Le Pen win the French election?

FRANCE 24 French schools are not safe for teachers, Marine Le Pen has warned

She said security needed to be vastly improved in French schools, just days a student opened fire on his classmates in the south of the country. Ms Le Pen said: “I am in favour of secularism and security in our schools.

FRANCE 24 Marine Le Pen said secularism was needed in French schools

“There are too many teachers in our schools who are being mistreated. “There is an absence of security inside our schools. I see our political leaders are turning a blind eye to what has changed. READ MORE: Who is Marine Le Pen?

FRANCE 24 Marine Le Pen said too many pupils were speaking foreign languages in French schools

“In fact, the teachers’ daily mission is becoming a nightmare. They go to school afraid of what’s going to happen. “So [what is needed is] secularism and separation of church and state. If you cannot have peace and calm in our schools you cannot teach.”

Things you didn't know about Marine Le Pen Fri, May 5, 2017 Marine Le Pen is a French politician who is the president of the National Front, a national-conservative political party in France and one of its main political forces. Play slideshow AFP/Getty Images 1 of 10 Described as more democratic and republican than her nationalist father, she has led a movement of "de-demonization of the Front National" to detoxify it and soften its image