Teaching in a French school abroad

Within the framework of AEFE

The Agency for French Education Abroad or AEFE (Agence pour l’enseignement français à l’étranger) , is a public body operating under the aegis of the French Foreign Ministry. It manages a network of 280 schools in 127 countries, catering for 157,000 pupils, a third of whom are French.

This concerns:

schools which are managed directly by AEFE (73 schools);
private schools established under local law which have entered into agreements with AEFE (210 schools) and are managed by an association or foundation (parents' associations or Mission laïque française).

AEFE employs teachers at primary and secondary levels, and other education staff.

In accordance with the regulations published on 4 January 2002, there are two types of employment for staff with tenure in the French Education system:

Expatriate

Expatriate staff are recruited outside of the country of employment, on the basis of general suitability. They are then seconded to AEFE, which pays them for a period of three years. This period may be renewed once for teaching staff and may be renewed for a two-year period for inspection, management and administrative staff. Applicants must have at least three years' actual experience with their current employers.

The list of posts to be filled is published in the official Education Ministry gazette (Bulletin officiel de l'Éducation nationale) at the start of the school year (October - November), as are details of the procedure. All relevant information concerning secondment abroad is available from the secondment information and assistance service or SIAD (service d'information et d'aide au détachement).

Resident

Resident staff are recruited in the country of employment (where they must have resided for at least three months, or where they must have moved because of their spouse's employment). They are then seconded to AEFE, which pays them, generally for a renewable period of three years. The list of posts to be filled is published on the AEFE website.

AEFE schools may also use local employees. These are recruited directly by the schools, with which they sign a contract under local law. Non-tenure staff may work only as local employees.

Outside of AEFE

In addition to the schools managed by AEFE (either directly or by agreement), 142 schools are merely accredited. These schools may directly employ seconded tenured staff with posts and staff without tenure working under local contracts.