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The Primary and Secondary Education System in Monaco
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Contact details
Direction de l'Éducation Nationale, de la Jeunesse et des Sports
Avenue de l'Annonciade
MC 98000 MONACO
Department of Education, Youth and Sport :
(+377) 98 98 83 05
Fax : (+377) 98 98 85 74
Opening Hours : from 9.30am to 5.00pm from Monday to Friday
Education that is open to all and internationally renowned
Schooling is obligatory for children from 6 to 16 years of age – children can attend nursery school from the age of three.
All the State schools and private schools under contract are approved as French educational establishments abroad. The timetables, teaching programmes and examinations taken are in conformity with those set out by the French national educational authority. For examinations, the Principality's educational establishments are under the aegis of the Nice regional education authority.
Lessons are taught in French. Some schools have a French as a Foreign Language section, which can help non-French-speaking pupils to integrate.
The school year is divided into 36 weeks from September to July, separated by four holiday periods (Autumn half term, Christmas, February half term and the Easter holidays). The school calendar can be consulted on this page .
A wide range of training opportunities
To meet the obligatory educational requirements, there are various types of schools in the Principality :
- State education is free. There are seven State-run nursery and primary schools, a collège (secondary school for children aged 11-15), a general and technological lycée (for pupils aged 15 to 18) and a vocational lycée
- Private education under contract (subsidised by the Monegasque State and separate from State schools) has to fulfil the same requirements with regard to timetables, teaching programmes, examinations taken and teacher recruitment. It consists of a primary school and an educational establishment consisting of a primary school, collège and lycée
- Private education that is not under contract is represented by the International School of Monaco . The teaching programmes and staff recruitment are entirely independent. This establishment offers bilingual teaching (in French and English)
You can see the complete list of educational establishments and their contact details on this page .
High quality teaching
The high quality teaching stands out for various reasons, such as:
- Small classes
- Sports education is taught by specialist teachers from primary classes, children are able to learn to swim from the age of five
- An emphasis on language teaching from an early age: english is taught from the age of three
- Numerous options are available to pupils throughout their schooling to suit individual needs and aptitudes and there are various international classes
Specific aspects of Monegasque education
Some aspects of education are still specific to Monaco:
- English is taught from the age of three
- Religious instruction, which is included in the number of subjects taught, subject to parental approval
- The history of Monaco
- The Monegasque language, which is taught in primary and secondary schools
Useful links
See also
- How to enrol your child in nursery school
- How to enrol your child in primary school
- How to enrol your child in secondary school
- How to enrol your child in a lycée
- How to enrol your child outside the normal enrolment periods
- Higher education in Monaco
- Primary education
- Secondary education
- Educational establishments (primary and secondary schools) and map of schools
Files
Legal References
- Act no. 1.334 of 12 July 2007 concerning education
- Act no. 1.372 of 5 July 2010 pertaining to teachers’ civil liability
- Ordinance no. 1.992 of 11 December 2008 pertaining to the Medical Psychology Centre
- Ordinance no. 2.080 of 13 February 2009 laying down conditions for the pedagogical inspection of educational establishments
- Ministerial Decree no. 2001-614 of 22 November 2001 amending the Ministerial Decree no. 2000-499 of 17 October 2000 regulating school trips
- Ministerial Decree no. 2008-814 of 11 December 2008 pertaining to conditions for the organisation and operation of educational establishments’ inner councils
- Ministerial Decree no. 2009-75 of 13 February 2009 determining learning cycles in primary and secondary education
- Ministerial Decree no. 2009-77 of 13 February 2009 laying down the composition and operation of the Secondary School Careers Guidance Council
- Ministerial Decree no.2019-193 of 1 March 2019 amending the Ministerial Decree no. 2010-53 of 5 February 2010 laying down the catchment area of each public primary school, amended
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