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Cambodia, Phnom Penh
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The campus was recently restructured with facilities that are well suited for preschool and elementary students. French is the primary language of instruction, with Khmer taught daily as part of linguistic pathways alongside English, Spanish, and Chinese. The library system includes a primary library (BCD Primaire) and a Centre de Documentation et d'Information (CDI) of 230 m² with an online catalog and abundant resources. The school offers a school meals program with Preschool meals at $3.60 and Primary/College/Lycee meals at $4. After-school care (periscolaire) and a range of activities are available, supported by the Parents' Association.
A Basketball section was opened for the 2023 school year. Physical Education is mandatory across all levels: Primary three hours per week; College four hours in 6th grade and three hours in other grades; Lycée two hours per week. An optional sports track provides two extra hours per week and training for Young Officials. The program emphasizes teamwork, inclusion, and citizenship and includes inter-school matches via the school's sports structure.
The school is AEFE-accredited and follows the French Ministry of National Education curricula for preschool through terminale. French is the primary language of instruction; Khmer is taught daily, with English, Spanish, and Chinese available as foreign languages. Inclusive education is supported by a dedicated team including three specialized teachers, a speech-language pathologist, and a school psychologist. Language pathways include PARLE for reinforced foreign language learning, EMILE-based DNL, and a Khmer language pathway (PLK); In lycée, students may choose a fourth language (Spanish or Chinese). The American International Section (SIA) offers an avenue to the International French Baccalaureate (BFI). The CDI is 230 m², with a wide range of resources and an online catalog; BCD Primaire provides a primary library.
After-school care (periscolaire) is offered. The school runs an active sports program via the Sports Association and offers a basketball section; Model United Nations; trips (Voyages); and vacation camps. Cultural and citizenship activities are regularly featured, and AEFE-related exchanges and activities are encouraged.
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.
