Award-winning International French School: “Meetings of the heart, living connections in Singapore”

 

A prestigious ceremony to celebrate the talents of the AEFE network

It is in the prestigious setting of the College de France, in Paris, that the IFS received the Palme EFE 2026 for Openness to the host country. This distinction, presented in the presence of the Minister of National Education, Édouard Geffray, and the Minister Delegate in charge of the Francophonie, International Partnerships and French people abroad, Éléonore Caroit, rewards the commitment of the establishment in its integration and its influence within its local environment.

The ceremony was sponsored by Index Education, publisher of the PRONOTE platform. Well known to families in the French network, this digital solution equips more than 90% of middle and high schools in France as well as a large part of the AEFE network, with nearly 18 million users.

 

 

 

 

An intercultural project reflecting the diversity of the IFS and Singapore

Mr. Honda Gan, Mandarin teacher, wants to see his second-year LVB students interact in Mandarin in situations that are as natural as possible. Aware that the aging of the population and the well-being of the elderly constitute major issues in Singapore, he proposed a project to Mr. Binan: the students would visit the residents of the Sparkle Care center. The objective is twofold: to allow students to learn from elders while mobilizing their Mandarin skills in real communication situations. This intercultural and intergenerational link thus offers everyone the opportunity to learn from others.

 

“This award highlights French schools, faithful to their values, while being rooted in the local culture of the host country.”

 

Mr. Binan tells us that he “arrives at an age where we feel things and that[il] believed in this project from the start because it carries values ​​dear to our country as well as to Confucian Chinese culture where respect for elders is a pillar.” This project reaffirms how the IFS is a bridge between cultures and “not a Gallic village”. It is a school where 75 nationalities come together, where everyone “works to open up to others, to the different cultures and communities of Singapore and in particular to the Chinese community”, to which 75% of Singaporeans belong.“This award highlights French schools, faithful to their values, while being rooted in the local culture of the host country,” recalled Ms. Nadia Amal, deputy director of Index Education, during the ceremony.

 

 

A bridge between generations, links woven by the heart

Capucine, Annalle and Lucia have been studying Mandarin for several years – or even forever when it is their mother tongue. They say that their meetings with the elderly took place in a very natural way. Questions had been prepared in class upstream, but spontaneity quickly took over, especially when students and a grandfather discovered a shared passion for football.

“We had the idea of ​​doing painting because the culture of art is very important in France but it is also something common to all cultures (…) and it is a medium that everyone can understand. We really had to find something that brought us together. HAS”

The bond was built around manual activities, gentle gymnastics exercises filmed by the students for the elders, but also music. “We looked for what songs we could sing with them in Mandarin, French and English. HAS”

Among the titles chosen were Aux Champs-Élysées, L’Enfant et l’Oiseau and Dancing Queen, alongside several Chinese standards. Music and singing also played a central role in one of the most significant moments of the project: the arrival of elders to the primary school’s Christmas concert. Mr. Binan remembers the beauty of this moment: “this meeting with the elders, the parents, the children, in the large amphitheater to share this Christmas spirit, of sharing and conviviality was a very beautiful Christmas gift for all and, once again, a way of strengthening our ties, with our seniors and with Singapore. HAS”

 

 

 

Our students already have a foothold in community life and in society. They know the challenges

 

 

Know what aging means and commit to a more united society

If the meetings always took place in a warm atmosphere, the students also emphasize having discovered the realities of aging of which until then they had only distant knowledge. “Not many of us have our grandparents here with us and this was the first time I really spoke with someone who was losing their memory. An old lady forgot many things, even the names of colors. I was surprised but that didn’t stop us from talking. You have to be very patient and explain well. HAS” Beyond the meeting, the project also highlighted the daily commitment of caregivers and educators who support the elderly, day and night: “a total commitment which will perhaps spark vocations. » according to Mr. Binan. “Obviously at the IFS, we want the best: top schools, the world of business or commerce, but let’s not forget the humanitarian field. We work a lot on this, also because these are elements which are increasingly valued in Anglo-Saxon and French higher education. (…) Our students already have a foothold in community life and in society. They know the challenges and have already committed themselves as citizens with solid values. HAS”

 

 

What future for the project and the AEFE network?

Fifty students studying Mandarin as a second modern language (LVB) participated in the project “Meetings of the Heart: Living Connections in Singapore.” But Mr. Gan’s ambition is to extend the initiative to other classes and, perhaps tomorrow, to inspire other international schools. Several Singaporean authorities have also expressed interest in this approach.

“This Palme is a source of great pride and recognition of the values ​​of openness held by the International French School,”

Creating real links between generations and communities, learning to truly know each other rather than simply living side by side: this challenge today concerns all modern societies and the project led by the IFS appears to be a concrete, supportive and enriching response for all participants.“This Palme is a source of great pride and recognition of the values ​​of openness held by the International French School,” underlines Mr. Binan, who managed the establishment for five years. A few weeks before welcoming his successor, he says to himself “honored to have guided this establishment of which he is very proud– to its destiny.

 

We are in a country that bounces back, anticipates and adapts

 

When we ask him about the future of the AEFE network, its 600 establishments and its 400,000 students, he says he is confident despite the current challenges: “It’s a complicated moment, it’s true. The evolution of the expatriate public, the situation in our country and the global situation are not simple but when I turn to them [les trois élèves présents] I see the future and I know that our establishment and the teachers have the power to give them all the tools to build the best possible future. Remember, this morning it was raining and then, as often in Singapore, the rainbow appeared and the day transformed. I have that confidence. We are in a country that is bouncing back, anticipating and adapting. We will be able to learn from our host country.â€