Overview of the General Education System

Réunion, as the island has been a French overseas department since 1946. The education system in the island is modelled directly on the French national structure. The governance and policies are set by the French Ministry of Education in order to ensure that curriculum standards, examinations, and teacher qualifications are parallel to those in mainland France.

French is the primary language of instruction, but Réunion is home to a linguistically diverse population, including speakers of Réunionese Creole. The population, particularly among working and middle-class families, view education as a high value and a pathway toward socioeconomic advancement. The literacy rate exceeds 90%, which is a reflection of both the accessibility of schooling and the government’s emphasis on universal education.

The system begins with pre-primary education, which is available for children between two and six years of age in nursery schools and kindergartens. Primary school lasts for six years and covers the elementary stage. Moreover, the secondary schooling is divided into two levels, junior high schools (collèges), which accommodate students aged 11 to 15, and senior high schools (lycées) for students aged 15 to 18.

Réunion currently has 77 junior high schools and 45 senior high schools, reflecting the island’s significant investment in secondary education. Adult education and vocational training institutions also provide opportunities for lifelong learning and professional development beyond formal school structures. This institutional framework has prompted education as one of the central pillars of social development in Réunion and ascertain that residents benefit from the same standards and opportunities available to students in mainland France.

Education in Réunion begins in nursery or kindergarten as early as age two, though this early childhood stage is not legally mandated. Formal compulsory education starts at primary school, where students spend five years in elementary classes before transitioning at age eleven to junior high school (collège).

Then, this lower secondary stage lasts four years, after which students advance to senior high school (lycée) at age fifteen. Senior high school occurs for three years and culminates in the National Baccalauréat examinations. This certification serve as the official qualification for entry into higher education.

The higher education system in Réunion is centered around the University of Réunion, which was established in 1982. The university is recognized as the only French and European university in the Indian Ocean. It holds a significant foundation as it is both an academic and cultural bridge between Europe and the surrounding region, attracting international students while serving the local population.

The university has around 350 researcher-teachers and organizes its academic offerings into three main faculties such as in Law and Economics, Science and Technology, and Letters and Human Sciences. This also includes three institutes dedicated to Linguistics and Anthropology, Business Administration, and Company Management. As a total, there are approximately 12,000 students enrolled, with a notable international unit. In fact, statistics from the school year 2021– 2022 showed that there were 986 students from 68 nationalities registered, which is a proof of the institution’s global orientation.

Professional and research training is highly integrated into the curriculum, particularly in areas such as sciences, economics, political sciences, and the humanities. As a matter of fact, the University of Réunion also offers targeted professional degrees such as the Master of Teaching, Education and Training Professions (MEEF), which prepares candidates for careers in education. By means of aligning with the French higher education system at the same time upholding international collaboration, Réunion’s university system cultivates its aim of providing local students with both global exposure and pathways equivalent to those of their peers in mainland France.