Phnom Penh & Education : ACACIA bilingual school recognised by the AEFE

Located in a quiet area of Phnom Penh, ACACIA (formerly Tchou-Tchou) offers bilingual education to young pupils.

Recently accredited by the AEFE (Agence pour l'Enseignement du Français à l'Etranger), the school's educational philosophy is based on play and language learning, and provides pupils with a dynamic multicultural education from an early age.

ACACIA Phnom Penh, a multicultural school on a human scale

With 50% Cambodian pupils and 50% international pupils (Franco-Khmer, French-speaking, Japanese, etc.) and 60% of its teaching in French and 40% in English, ACACIA stands out for its family values and intercultural teaching methods.

This year, the school had a total of almost 60 pupils, including two nursery classes (Petite section/Moyenne section and Moyenne/Grande section) and a CP/CE1 class. For the start of the new school year, ACACIA will be welcoming pupils from nursery to the last year of nursery school.

Anne-Sophie Grasset, Managing Director of ACACIA Phnom Penh, has been based in Cambodia for 14 years. After two years as Deputy Director, she has now been Managing Director of ACACIA for a year. She goes on to explain ACACIA's objective:

"The aim of the school is to develop the French-speaking world and provide access to the French language abroad. In my case, here in the Kingdom of Cambodia.”

Bilingual learning from nursery to kindergarten

Taking in children from the age of 18 months, ACACIA now focuses on educational learning from nursery to the final year of kindergarten, with a half-day timetable that varies the languages used. For example, lessons in the morning are in French and in the afternoon in English.

The school's educational programme follows that of the French national education system, but with two added values that should not be overlooked: enhanced English language learning and work techniques inspired by Montessori and Singapore to respect the needs and different rhythms of the children. The school is run by a team of qualified, multilingual teachers, including assistants who have been with the school for many years and speak French, English and Khmer. This year, the teaching staff consists of seven teachers and six assistants.

As well as offering a rich, bilingual learning experience, the school stands out for its play facilities and school outings. In fact, with several outdoor play areas and playgrounds, pupils at different levels can develop freely.

Play area for children at the ACACIA school in Phnom Penh

In addition to the various outdoor play areas, there are rooms within the school itself where pupils can develop their senses. A special room for motor skills, a library and a projection room allow children to take part in a variety of workshops, imitation games and group activities, particularly in the mornings.

Lastly, the teaching and management staff also organise school outings for the various classes, notably to the French Institute of Cambodia, the climbing wall and the swimming pool.

AEFE certification, added value for pupils and teachers

Anne-Sophie adds: "ACACIA is present in several Asian countries, with two schools in Thailand and two in Hanoï, Vietnam. All the ACACIA schools are now accredited, which is great recognition not only for the team in Phnom Penh, but also for all the work ACACIA has done over the years. We are now moving on to the next level”.

Certification is a real benefit and an opportunity for both students and teachers. What's more, in addition to this possible support for families, by enrolling their children with ACACIA, the latter opens the doors to other AEFE-approved schools. So, after nursery school, children enrolled at ACACIA who wish to continue their education in a bilingual environment will be able to apply to all the other AEFE establishments without having to sit the entrance exam. Nearly 90% of ACACIA students wanted to continue their education in this type of establishment.

It's a small school that will give students the chance to study in a multilingual environment that will open up new opportunities.

This new step taken by ACACIA Phnom Penh is a further demonstration of its desire for cooperation between France and Cambodia, and its commitment to promoting the French language and culture in the Kingdom.

More information : https://acacia-education.com/

Phone : +855(0) 96 981 2354

Email : contact@acacia-education.com