Although its education system used not to be free, Benin

Benin

Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...

has now abolished school fees and is carrying out the recommendations of its 2007 Educational Forum. In 1996, the gross primary enrollment rate was 72.5 percent, and the net primary enrollment rate was 59.3 percent. A far greater percentage of boys are enrolled in school than girls: in 1996, the gross primary enrollment rate for boys was 88.4 percent as opposed to 55.7 percent for girls; the net primary enrollment rates were 71.6 percent for boys and 46.2 percent for girls. Primary school attendance rates were unavailable for Benin as of 2001. While enrollment rates indicate a level of commitment to education, they do not always reflect children's participation in school. Because of a rapid increase in the enrollment rate, the student/teacher ratio rose from 36:1 in 1990 to 53:1 in 1997. The overall adult literacy

Literacy

Literacy has traditionally been described as the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about printed material.Literacy represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from print...

 rate is nearly 40%. Only 25% of women in Benin are literate.

History

By the late 1980s, under Benin's Marxist

Marxism

Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...

 government, the quality of education was seriously eroded and, by 1989, the education

Education

Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...

 system was in a state of collapse. A key event in the reform of education in Benin was the national Conference on Education (Etats Généraux de l'Education-EGE) held in 1990 which adopted a national policy and strategy to improve education. Beginning in 1991, the government of Benin introduced significant changes within the Beninese education system.

Major advances have been made in education, especially in the areas of access and teaching/learning conditions. The gross enrollment rate has increased from a base of 49.7% in 1990 to 96% in 2004 and girls' enrollment from 36% in 1990 to 84% in 2004. Gender balance and geographic equity have shown significant improvements in gross numbers of girls and children from disadvantaged areas attending primary schools. Nonetheless, major constraints and challenges remain.

School system

The Republic of Benin operates on a 6-4-3-3-4 system:

• Primary school: 6 years
• Junior high school: 4 years
• Senior high school: 3 Years
• Bachelor's degree: 3 years
• Master's degree: 4 Years

Education is compulsory for children aged between six and eleven. After spending two to three years in kindergarten

Kindergarten

A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...

, it takes six years for them to complete and take the primary school certificate. Overall it requires seven years to complete both junior and senior high school. At the end of the four first years of junior high school, the students have to take the O-level (Brevet d’Etudes du Premier Cycle: BEPC), Then after three years the students have to take the A level (Baccalaureat: BAC) exam which is the equivalent of the US High School Degree. There are five vocational schools, located in five of the twelve provinces: Atlantique littoral (City of Cotonou

Cotonou

-Demographics:*1979: 320,348 *1992: 536,827 *2002: 665,100 *2005: 690,584 The main languages spoken in Cotonou include the Fon language, Aja language, Yoruba language and French.-Transport:...

), Oueme Plateau (city of Porto-Novo

Porto-Novo

Porto-Novo is the official capital of the West African nation of Benin, and was the capital of French Dahomey. The commune covers an area of 110 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 223,552 people.Porto-Novo is a port on an inlet of the Gulf of Guinea, in the southeastern portion...

), Zou Colline (city of Bohicon

Bohicon

Bohicon is a city in Benin, and a conurbation of Abomey lying 9 kilometres east of the city on the railway line from Cotonou to Parakou and on Benin’s main highway RNIE 2 which joins the RNIE 4. The commune covers an area of 139 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 113,091...

) Borgou (city of Parakou

Parakou

Parakou is the largest city in eastern Benin, with an estimated population of around 188,853 people, and capital of the Borgou Department. The mayor as of 2008 was Samou Seidou Adambi and administratively the commune of Parakou makes up one of Benin's 77 communes.-Economy:Parakou lies on the main...

), Mono Couffo, Atakora, Donga

Donga Department

Donga is one of the twelve departments of Benin. Donga was created in 1999 when the government split up the original six departments into twelve. Donga was split from Atakora. The capital of Donga is Djougou. The total area is 10,691 km.² or 4,128mi.²....

 and Alibori.

Grading system

The grading system is from 0 to 20, with 20 being the highest grade.

• Passing grade: 10
• Fairly good grade: 12
• Good grade: 14-15
• Very good grade: 16-17
• Excellent: 18-20

Languages of instruction

French

French language

French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...

, the official language of Benin, is generally the language of instruction.

Leading public high schools

Cotonou:

• High School of Gbegamey
• High School of St Rita
• High School of Dantokpa
• High School of Akpakpa

Porto-Novo:

• Lycee Behanzin
• Lycee Toffa

High School of Application:

• High School of Lokossa
• High School of Houffon
• High School of Mathieu Bouquet (Borgou)
• High School of CEG1 Natitingou (Atakora)
• High School of Djougou (Donga)

Higher education

The National University of Benin

National University of Benin

The National University of Benin is the principal university in the country of Benin. The university was founded in 1970 as the Université du Dahomey. In 1975 the name was changed to Université Nationale du Bénin. Its name is abbreviated UNB....

 maintains ten branches:

• The Campus of Abomey Calavi
  • The Faculty of Economics and Management (FASEG)
  • The Faculty of Law and Political Science (FADESP)
  • The Faculty of Arts and Social Science (FLASH)
  • The Faculty of Science and Technology (FAST)
  • The Faculty of Health Science (FSS)
• The University of Parakou (UNIPAR)
• The School of Applied Economics and Management (ENEAM)
• The National School of Administration and Prosecutor Training (ENAM)
• The Poly Technical School of Abomey Calavi (EPAC)
• The Teachers’ Training School of Porto-Novo (ENS)
  • The Institute of Mathematics and Physics (IMSP)
  • The Faculty Agricultural Science (FSA).

Each branch is headed by a university president.

Some private higher institutions are also accredited by the Ministry of National Education. Altogether 94 higher institutions are accredited.

Grading system for thesis defense

• Passing: 10-12
• Fairly good grade: 12
• Good grade: 14- 15
• Very good grade: 16- 17
• Excellent grade: 18

Leading public and private schools

• PIGIER
• GASA FORMATION
• ENEAM
• EPAC
• ENAM
• UCAO
• ENS

External links

• Profile of higher education in Benin from Boston College
  Boston College
  Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
  
  
• Colonial state and education in Benin Division, 1897 – 1959
• Information communication technology in Benin from infoDev
  InfoDev
  infoDev is a special program of the World Bank and many other international development agencies focusing on how the use of information and communication technologies can help to combat poverty and promote opportunity, empowerment and economic growth in developing countries, a field of activity...
  
  
• Benin Education Fund (BEF) Provides educational support and scholarships.