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FRANCE'S NETWORK OF INTERNATIONAL LYCÉES HAVE CHARGED NO FEES SINCE 2007 - BUT MPS SAY THE SCHEME IS TOO COSTLY FREE schooling for French _lycée_ pupils studying abroad could be axed to

save money. A parliamentary committee has recommended that France's network of 240 overseas _lycées_ go back to charging fees, saving the State €106m a year. The committee said in its

report, seen by _Le Parisien_, that the cost of maintaining the scheme was too high and it was unfair because it only applies to French nationals. Scrapping fees for French school pupils

abroad was one of Nicolas Sarkozy's 2007 presidential election pledges. He had wanted to extend the free scheme to all of the 82,000 French children studying abroad, including primary

school and _collège_ pupils, but this would have increased the bill to €700m. Under the current system, a child with at least one French parent can study at an overseas _lycée_ at no cost,

regardless of their parents' income. The system is popular with French expats and families who frequently move for work, as it enables children to stay within the French education

system. There are French schools in 131 different countries around the world, including nine in the UK - in London, Bristol and Aberdeen. See the full list on the Education Ministry website

(PDF).