Overview of the General Education System

The education system of the Central African Republic (CAR) is marked by its colonial past. It has evolved since the country’s independence from France in 1960. The country was originally part of the French colony of Ubangi-Chari, which is why CAR’s education system has retained many French structural and linguistic characteristics still evident in today’s system. For instance, French stands as the primary language of instruction, while Sango, a creole language spoken in CAR, is also being introduced in early childhood and teacher training programs.

The education system is structured into several key levels. The pre-primary, primary, secondary (lower and upper secondary), and tertiary education. This comprehensive system is supervised by two main governmental bodies. The Ministère de l’Éducation Nationale, de l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche Scientifique and the Ministry for Primary, Secondary and Technical Education and Literacy. These bodies work together to oversee educational policies, implement reforms, and manage development projects across all levels of education.

Although access remains persistent across the nation, there are still public, private, international, and religious schools that coexist. It is also amazing that despite persistent civil conflict and infrastructural challenges, the government is supported by international partners like the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). The collaboration between the two birthed significant reforms, including curriculum development in Sango and the construction of approximately 300 classrooms by 2023. The GPE-funded program has also provided remedial education opportunities for over 68,000 students, with a goal of extending its reach to nearly 100,000 students by the year 2025.

Education in CAR is officially mandatory from ages six to 14. It starts with a six-year primary education cycle called l'École primaire. Children work toward attaining the Certificat d'Études Fondamentales 1 (CEF 1). This is followed by four years in lower secondary school (Collège d’enseignement secondaire). When these are completed, students are awarded with the Brevet d'Études Fondamentales 2 (BEF 2).

While early childhood education is not mandatory, efforts are ongoing to expand its accessibility. As a matter of fact, in 2023, a national preschool curriculum was launched to promote holistic development in young children, which is supported by the UNICEF.

However, despite these key initiatives, literacy rates remain low, with only 4.7% of children of ages seven to 14 having foundational reading skills. The dropout and repetition rates are strikingly high, and 89% of 10-year-olds sadly cannot read and understand an age-appropriate text. These current enrollment figures pose a concerning challenge, and only 12 percent of women and 18 percent of men are participating in educational programs. This low level of educational attainment, particularly among women, can be linked in part to the pervasive dilemma of child marriage and early childbearing.

Higher education in the Central African Republic is centered on the Université de Bangui. This is the country's sole public university, established in 1969. It offers academic and vocational degrees across faculties of health sciences, law and political science, economics and management, sciences, and humanities.

Admission to university requires a Baccalauréat. The first academic cycle lasts for two years and leads to diplomas such as the Diplôme Universitaire de Technologie (DUT), Diplôme d’Études Universitaires Générales (DEUG), and other field-specific diplomas.

Vocational qualifications include the Brevet de Technicien Supérieur (BTS) and Diplôme d'État, which are handed to graduates after two and four years, respectively. A third year of study earns students a Licence, and one more year beyond yields a Maîtrise.

The absence of distance learning platforms and the closure of many schools due to armed conflict continue to limit higher education access. Since 2017, nearly a third of schools have been affected by war attacks, which is not surprising that graduate-level programs are currently unavailable.