This Thursday, the Secondary Education Institute (IES) La Jarcia, located in Puerto Real, officially received the LabelFrancÉducation distinction. This recognition, granted by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, is awarded to bilingual centers that excel in the quality of their French language program and their commitment to promoting Francophone culture.
The award ceremony took place at the institute's premises and was attended by various authorities. Among them were Estela Villalba, Director General of Innovation and Teacher Training for the Junta de Andalucía; José Ángel Aparicio, Territorial Delegate for Educational Development and Vocational Training in Cádiz; Marjorie Vanbaelinghem, Consul General of France in Seville and Director of the French Institute of Seville; Aurora Salvador, Mayor of Puerto Real; and Lola Pacheco, Director of IES La Jarcia.
With this accreditation, IES La Jarcia joins the international LabelFrancÉducation network, which currently comprises 778 centers in 66 countries. Spain holds the highest number of distinctions, with 129 recognized centers, 38 of which are in Andalusia. This seal validates the institute's trajectory in language teaching over the past two decades, operating as a plurilingual center with French as the first foreign language and English as the second.
In addition to formal education, the institute promotes cultural activities such as the Francophonie Week, which also involves 6th-grade primary school students from Puerto Real. During the 2025/2026 academic year, 4th-year ESO students participated in a school exchange with students from Orsay, near Paris, and will soon be able to take the official DELF Junior-Scolaire B1 exams at the institute itself.
“"I am grateful for the commitment of the entire educational community and highlight the work of the teaching staff who promoted this bilingual project."
The integration of IES La Jarcia into the LabelFrancÉducation network positions it as a reference center for French language teaching, both nationally and internationally. This distinction certifies compliance with the rigorous criteria for educational quality, teacher training, and the promotion of French language and culture established by French authorities. For Puerto Real, this recognition strengthens the local plurilingual offering and places one of its public institutes within a global educational circuit.
