Overview of the General Education System

Under the colonial rule of the Portuguese in São Tomé and Príncipe, there was only minimal education, which was only provided to settlers, thus making most of the population in the country illiterate. After the country’s independence in 1975, the government made primary education compulsory and undertook literacy campaigns. The expansion of schools to rural areas was also undertaken. In the process, teacher training programs were developed with the assistance of Portugal and other Lusophone countries. However, educational opportunities in secondary and higher education were scarce, and students were forced to seek such education in other countries. UNESCO, which São Tomé joined in 1980, subsequently emphasized changes in pre-school and basic learning, thus bringing education policies in the country in line with international policies.

In São Tomé and Príncipe, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Higher Education (Ministério da Educação, Cultura, Ciências e Ensino Superior) is responsible for overseeing education. It is in charge of national educational policy. Its key roles are overseeing the primary, secondary and higher education level as well as managing the teacher training and coordinating with international partners to improve access quality and equity across sectors.

Primary education (ensino básico) is compulsory for children 6–11 years old and lasts six years covering grades 1–6. This is followed by six years of secondary education (ensino secundário) in two cycles: lower secondary education (grades 7 to 9), and upper secondary education (grades 10 to 12). Beyond that, post-secondary education (ensino superior) is scarce in the country. Most students seek it abroad.