Andorra and France renew 10-year education pact, agree co‑financing for school refurbishments

Andorra and France have renewed their bilateral education cooperation agreement for ten years, formalising the pact at a meeting of the Franco‑Andorran mixed commission in Paris. Authorities said the renewal consolidates some 125 years of educational collaboration and aims to guarantee an inclusive, high‑quality system that respects Andorra’s cultural and linguistic diversity while maintaining the French system as a central pillar of the country’s plural model.

Alongside the treaty, both states signed an administrative arrangement to co‑finance the refurbishment of the Lycée Comte de Foix and the collège. The works will be carried out over the next eight years; the Principality will cover roughly 70% of renovation costs and France the remaining 30%. The Andorran government also committed to assume the operating costs of French‑system primary schools in the country.

The updated accord preserves existing lines of responsibility: Andorra continues to fund maintenance of school buildings and to pay the salaries of Catalan‑language teachers, while France remains responsible for textbooks and the salaries of teachers in the French system and for broader operational support. The text reaffirms teaching of Andorran language and culture as a cornerstone of national identity and consolidates instruction in French within a broader multilingual policy. It also promotes educational and cultural activities linked to the francophonie and includes measures on student welfare.

Andorran Minister of Relations with Institutions, Education and Universities Ladislau Baró said the renewal “reaffirms our commitment to the French educational system, guaranteeing quality, respect for our identity and opportunities for young people.” French Minister of National Education Édouard Geffray described the pact as “a reflection of the solidity and trust that have characterised our educational cooperation with the Principality for more than a century” and said both countries share an ambition to offer pupils a multilingual, culturally open education.

Officials presented the main lines of future education policy and cultural initiatives at the commission meeting. Delegates noted rising enrolment at the Lycée Comte de Foix, which this year reached a record 1,654 students, about 60 more than the previous year. The increase led to the opening of an additional terminale class and the introduction of an arts option; some optional classes have been scheduled later in the day (around 17:30–18:30), with attendance recorded and absences treated as for other subjects.

Government spokespeople emphasised that the refurbishment will be phased over eight years to spread the cost. They did not publish a full total cost estimate, saying final figures will depend on the project’s evolution. The government spokesperson noted that the annual investment by France in operating and staffing the French system remains substantially larger than Andorra’s share of the refurbishment cost spread over the coming years.

The agreement secures a free, public French‑system option within Andorra’s three‑system educational framework and seeks to continue promoting multilingual education and student mobility between Andorra and France. Some commentators and editorials have flagged concerns about the apparent imbalance in capital contributions and the lack of a single global estimate for the works, calling for close monitoring of the calendar, costs and proportionality of the commitment as the project progresses.