Phnom Penh: On 26 November, the French Embassy hosted a reception in honor of some 200 French teachers from across Cambodia on the occasion of the International Day of French Teachers, celebrated worldwide for the seventh consecutive year. This day, established at the initiative of the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, pays tribute to French teachers as key actors in promoting and expanding the French language around the world.
In Cambodia, several high-level university programs taught in French exist in a wide range of fields, including health, law, engineering, digital technology, and the military sector. French is also taught to nearly 3,000 students in bilingual programs and as a foreign language to nearly 22,500 students in numerous Cambodian public schools. The language is also offered in several private secondary institutions, and the country counts 15 member establishments of the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF).
The event was held in the presence of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth, and Sports, H.E. Dr. Hang Chuon Naron, and the French Ambassador, Mr. Olivier Richard. Teachers shared their experiences after taking part in the World Congress of French Teachers and in a three-week training program in Besançon, France, as part of an embassy-led initiative. The evening continued with a DELF diploma ceremony for teachers who completed embassy-funded courses, followed by a “musical quiz” inspired by this year’s theme for the International Day of French Teachers: “Singing, playing, teaching: Francophonie in music.”
For the past three years, the French Embassy in Cambodia has been implementing a support program for French-language education, enabling nearly 500 teachers to receive training in France, as well as in the Asia-Pacific region and in Cambodia. France has also maintained its support for the French Teaching Master’s Program at the National Institute of Education, the country’s only advanced-level training for French teachers. This support is complemented by the deployment of young teaching volunteers to France in collaboration with France Volontaires and by efforts, in partnership with the AUF, to promote the image of French as a language of employability and excellence among Cambodian youth. France will continue to support Francophonie in the lead-up to the 20th Francophonie Summit, which will be hosted by Cambodia in November 2026.
Photo by: Supplied
