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Cambodia, Phnom Penh
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The school is homologated by the French Ministry of National Education and offers education from kindergarten through terminale in accordance with official French programs. French is the language of instruction; Khmer is taught daily through the Khmer Language Pathways. Reinforced language pathways in English, Khmer, Spanish, and Chinese are available, including the Section Internationale Américaine (SIA) for English and the Baccalauréat Français International (BFI) from première. The school reports excellent results in the Diplôme National du Brevet, the baccalauréat, and certifications.
Arts et Culture is a component of the pedagogy. Library resources are provided through Nos bibliothèques (BCD Primaire and CDI) to support arts and culture. Cultural activities are integrated into school life and reflected in ongoing programs such as Album de l'année.
Parcours linguistiques offers reinforced language pathways in English, Chinese, Khmer, and Spanish, with French as the host language. PARLE (Parcours Adaptés et Renforcés de Langues Étrangères) strengthens foreign-language learning through EMILE (teaching a subject in a foreign language) or DNL (discipline non linguistique). The Khmer Language Pathway (PLK) strengthens Khmer and supports a trilateral lineup with French and English starting in cycle 4. The Section Internationale Américaine (SIA) provides bilingual/bicultural programming, and the BFI supports access to higher education in the United States.
Activities include Le périscolaire (after-school), L'Association Sportive (sports association), Les rencontres, and Les camps de vacances (holiday camps). Voyages and other excursions are part of student life. The school's libraries (BCD Primaire and CDI) support informal culture and reading activities as part of daily life.
The school operates as an association à but non lucratif under Loi 1901. The Association des Parents d'Élèves (APE) contributed to recent restructuring and governance. The school maintains close collaboration with the Embassy of France and the Institut Français du Cambodge (IFC). The address is PO Box 1132, Rue 96 (Christopher Howes), Wat Phnom, Phnom Penh; +855 61 805 832; secretariat@lfrd.net.
Governing bodies include the direction, the board of administration, the conseil d'établissement, and the conseil d'école, alongside the L'APE. The school hosts Model United Nations (MUN) programs and participates in Agora Monde for orientation and higher-education discussions. The school emphasizes excellence and multicultural openness as core values, aligned with AEFE-network principles. The leadership highlights collaboration with national and international partners to advance student opportunities.
Physical education is mandatory for all students, with two hours of EPS per week for lycée and opportunities for deeper sports training. A basketball section was opened in 2023. The EPS curriculum emphasizes physical health, safety, autonomy, and citizenship through regular activity and structured evaluation.
Lycée Français René Descartes (LFRD) is an AEFE‑homologated French school in Phnom Penh, founded in 1951. It provides French national curriculum teaching from maternelle through terminale and runs a Section Internationale Américaine (SIA) with options leading to the Baccalauréat Français International (BFI). The school's language pathways include daily Khmer lessons and instruction/support in English, Spanish and Chinese; the SIA offers additional English‑language instruction. In September 2023 LFRD opened a small internat (boarding house) for élèves de 3ème à terminale (capacity up to 15); boarders are transported to/from school each day by the internat shuttles. Annual tuition (2025–2026) ranges from USD 5,526 (primary, French/Cambodian nationality rate) up to USD 9,855 (lycée, other nationalities). The school publishes details on fees, language pathways, SIA and the internat on its website.
