Education in Niger
Encyclopedia
Education in Niger like that of other developing nations, particularly in the Sahelian region
of Africa, faces challenges from poverty
and poor access to schools. Niger
has one of the lowest literacy rates in the world.
in Niger
is compulsory between the ages of seven and fifteen. The primary school enrollment and attendance rates are low, particularly for girls. Some figures suggest that in 1997, the gross primary enrollment rate was 29.3 percent, and in 1996, the net primary enrollment rate was 24.5 percent. However reliable statistics vary because there is no definitive count of the number of school-age children.
About 60 percent of children who finish primary schools are boys, as the majority of girls
rarely attend school for more than a few years. Children are often forced to work rather than attend school, particularly during planting or harvest periods. Traditionally, parents have been reluctant to send their children to school. In the 1960s, the government sent the army to rural villages to compel school attendance and villagers hid their children, fearful of what would happen to them. More recently parents have failed to register their children's births to avoid later school enrollment. Head teachers, who are responsible for recruitment in rural areas, can be reluctant to travel outside their own villages to persuade parents to allow their children to attend school.
In addition, nomad
ic children in the north of the country often do not have access to schools.
was founded as the University of Niamey in 1974 and is the only public university in the country. It is run by the Ministry of Education. The Islamic University of Niger
in Say
was opened in 1986.
Sahel
The Sahel is the ecoclimatic and biogeographic zone of transition between the Sahara desert in the North and the Sudanian Savannas in the south.It stretches across the North African continent between the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea....
of Africa, faces challenges from poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
and poor access to schools. Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
has one of the lowest literacy rates in the world.
Primary education
Primary educationPrimary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
in Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
is compulsory between the ages of seven and fifteen. The primary school enrollment and attendance rates are low, particularly for girls. Some figures suggest that in 1997, the gross primary enrollment rate was 29.3 percent, and in 1996, the net primary enrollment rate was 24.5 percent. However reliable statistics vary because there is no definitive count of the number of school-age children.
About 60 percent of children who finish primary schools are boys, as the majority of girls
Female education
Female education is a catch-all term for a complex of issues and debates surrounding education for females. It includes areas of gender equality and access to education, and its connection to the alleviation of poverty...
rarely attend school for more than a few years. Children are often forced to work rather than attend school, particularly during planting or harvest periods. Traditionally, parents have been reluctant to send their children to school. In the 1960s, the government sent the army to rural villages to compel school attendance and villagers hid their children, fearful of what would happen to them. More recently parents have failed to register their children's births to avoid later school enrollment. Head teachers, who are responsible for recruitment in rural areas, can be reluctant to travel outside their own villages to persuade parents to allow their children to attend school.
In addition, nomad
Nomad
Nomadic people , commonly known as itinerants in modern-day contexts, are communities of people who move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location. There are an estimated 30-40 million nomads in the world. Many cultures have traditionally been nomadic, but...
ic children in the north of the country often do not have access to schools.
Higher education
There are two higher education intstitutions in Niger. Abdou Moumouni University in NiameyNiamey
-Population:While Niamey's population has grown steadily since independence, the droughts of the early 1970s and 1980s, along with the economic crisis of the early 1980s, have propelled an exodus of rural inhabitants to Niger's largest city...
was founded as the University of Niamey in 1974 and is the only public university in the country. It is run by the Ministry of Education. The Islamic University of Niger
Islamic University of Niger
The Islamic University of Niger is an Islamic university based in Say, Niger.-History:...
in Say
Say, Niger
Say is a town in southwest Niger, situated on the Niger River. It is the capital of the Say Department in the Tillabéri Region. The municipality has 12,000 inhabitants, and its economy is dominated by agriculture, herding and small trade.-Overview:...
was opened in 1986.