École Francophone Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

The École Francophone Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (EFASE) or École Antoine de Saint-Exupéry de Kigali, also known as the Kigali French School, is a school in Downtown Kigali, Rwanda.[1] The school, with a capacity of 400 students,[2] serves nursery (maternelle) to upper secondary (lycée) levels.[3]

It is recognised by the Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE).[4] Sections until junior secondary (collège) are directly taught while senior secondary (lycée) uses a distance education programme from the National Centre for Distance Education (CNED in French).[5]

A 1980 U.S. State Department report stated that the school was "much smaller than the [École Belge de Kigali (EBK)]."[6]

History

The school was created in 1973. The school was closed from 1994 to 1998 due to deteriorated relations between the Governments of France and Rwanda following the Rwandan genocide.[7]

In 2006, after France and Rwanda severed diplomatic relations, the Rwandan authorities forced the school to close. They gave a 72-hour deadline for the school to end operations. The school closed on Monday 27 November 2006.[1] In 2009 France and Rwanda restored diplomatic relations.[8] In September 2010 the school reopened with 200 students. Jean Nepomuscene Rushayigi, the headmaster, said that at the time 80% of the students were Rwandan nationals.[2]

Admissions

As of 1979 the school gave admission to French national children, and French language ability was a criterion for placement of children of other foreign nationalities. There were five American students in the 1978-1979; their parents were not affiliated with the U.S. Embassy.[6]

Curriculum

The school uses a French curriculum, which is also recognized by the Rwandan government. English classes are a requirement for students,[9] and the school teaches in both languages. The school year begins in September and ends in July. Students travel to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Nairobi, Kenya to take A-level examinations.[2]

Campus

The campus includes fifteen classrooms, one cafeteria and dining hall, one laboratory room, one clinic, two libraries, a digital laboratory, two computer labs, and athletic facilities.[10]

Alumni

The Alumni of the school was created in 2020 and aims to support former students and future bachelors in their quest to meet higher professional fulfilment. The Alumni is part of the Union-ALFM, the worldwide network of former students in French schools. The Alumni President is Victor Nkindi.

References
  1. Goujon, Emmanuel. "Rwanda rids country of French interests." (Alternate) Mail & Guardian. 27 November 2006. Retrieved on 2 March 2013.
  2. Kwizera, Charles. "France school reopens in Rwanda" (Archive). The New Times at BBC Monitoring International Reports. 23 September 2010. Retrieved on 2 March 2013. Available at: Access My Library, Available at AllAfrica.
  3. "Informations aux parents." École Antoine de Saint-Exupéry de Kigali. Retrieved on 10 May 2015.
  4. "École francophone Antoine-de-Saint-Exupéry" (in French). Retrieved 2020-05-25.
  5. "Our School". École Francophone Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
  6. Post Report: American Embassy, Kigali. U.S. State Department. February 1980. p. 9.
  7. "Histoire de L’Efase" (Archive). École Antoine de Saint-Exupéry de Kigali. Retrieved on May 10, 2015.
  8. "French school reopens in Kigali." Rwanda Bureau of Information and Broadcasting (ORINFOR). 21 September 2010. Retrieved on 2 March 2013.
  9. "Rwanda: l'école française rouvre " (Archive). Agence France Presse at Le Figaro. Wednesday 22 September 2010. Retrieved on May 11, 2015. Alternate location (Archive) at Rwanda News Agency (Agence Rwandaise d'Information). "Selon lui, le cursus de l'école, où l'apprentissage de l'anglais est obligatoire, est reconnu par le ministère rwandais de l'éducation, même si "le programme pédagogique ainsi que les examens viennent de France"." - Abbreviated version at: "Rwanda: l'école française rouvre après 4 ans de fermeture." (Archive) 20 Minutes. 22 September 2010.
  10. "Nos installations." École Antoine de Saint-Exupéry de Kigali. Retrieved on 10 May 2015.

Further reading

(in Kinyarwanda)

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