We had a lecture on the system here and it explains the 50% illiteracy rate, somewhat.
First in the rural ares the government cannot afford to staff and maintain a school for each community. So they build one somewhere central but students provide their own transportation. On foot. The trek starts early and ends late. The farm boys do it when they are not needed at home and the girls do it when they can travel the complete distance safely. Not ever in the dark. Not ever alone. Recently private boarding schools for girls have been started but they must live there and cannot help at home. It is a problem every country with rural areas faces.
The structured urban systems are free (except for books and supplies) and children begin in grade 1 grade school is 1-5 6 and they are tested at the end of each grade. They can be repeat a grade one time but if they fail twice, they are out of school. Of course any misbehavior and they are out. At grade 6 there a big test and only those who pass go on at all. After grade 7-8-9 they are tested again and only the percentage of those who pass for whom there is a spot available in high school go on. At the end of three years they are tested and if they with to go on are assigned to study whatever they score best in for college and career.
There Are expensive foreign schools, but most kids just go to work when they end school, whenever and however that happens.
Classroom instruction from grade 1 is lecture and memorization. They begin French in grade 2 and most are fluent in both Arabic and French as well as Berber which is now recognized as an official language. The post high kids I am teaching can read and write English as well, but not speak or recognize it.
Every culture tries to teach and bring out the best in the children.
First in the rural ares the government cannot afford to staff and maintain a school for each community. So they build one somewhere central but students provide their own transportation. On foot. The trek starts early and ends late. The farm boys do it when they are not needed at home and the girls do it when they can travel the complete distance safely. Not ever in the dark. Not ever alone. Recently private boarding schools for girls have been started but they must live there and cannot help at home. It is a problem every country with rural areas faces.
The structured urban systems are free (except for books and supplies) and children begin in grade 1 grade school is 1-5 6 and they are tested at the end of each grade. They can be repeat a grade one time but if they fail twice, they are out of school. Of course any misbehavior and they are out. At grade 6 there a big test and only those who pass go on at all. After grade 7-8-9 they are tested again and only the percentage of those who pass for whom there is a spot available in high school go on. At the end of three years they are tested and if they with to go on are assigned to study whatever they score best in for college and career.There Are expensive foreign schools, but most kids just go to work when they end school, whenever and however that happens.
Classroom instruction from grade 1 is lecture and memorization. They begin French in grade 2 and most are fluent in both Arabic and French as well as Berber which is now recognized as an official language. The post high kids I am teaching can read and write English as well, but not speak or recognize it.
Every culture tries to teach and bring out the best in the children.
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