Overview of the General Education System

The history of education in Senegal can be traced to various stages that were influenced by religion, colonialism, and reform. The earliest form of literacy education was through Islamic daaras (Qur’anic schools). During colonial times, French officials expanded secular institutions that stressed assimilation through the use of French language, favoring urban elites and males, and by its independence in 1960, Senegal developed two parallel systems of daara education and French education. After gaining independence, the government recognized education as an important instrument for modernization and development of national identity, but the country lacked resources and had conflicting interests between secular and Islamic traditions. During the 1990s and 2000s, structural adjustment programs led to lower allocations by the state, thus making the country more dependent on international funding and policy changes that emphasized decentralization and gender equality. More recently, enrollment numbers have increased but the problems of quality and equity have remained and issues concerning integration of the daaras into the national system as well as globalization of education and vocational training have arisen. Up till now, the educational systems of Senegal have been characterized by the presence of many overlapping factors: both Islamic daaras and French schools coexist, French continues to be the primary language of instruction, marginalized populations continue to lag behind, and foreign assistance significantly influence education policy formulation.

French remains the only official language of Senegal. It is the language that the government uses in conducting all official business including matters of law, politics, national media, and education. On the other hand, the indigenous languages such as Wolof and other national languages continue to be spoken by common people in their daily affairs despite the dominance of French due to its historical background.

The Senegalese education system is organized and administratively managed through three government ministries. The Ministry of National Education is responsible for preschool, primary education, and secondary education, curriculum-based development, training of teachers and literacy programs. The Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation oversees universities, research institutions and other forms of scientific development and establishes policy for and provides guidance on quality standards in higher education. The Ministry of Vocational Training, Apprenticeship and Integration directs technical and vocational education, apprenticeship, and workforce integration. Collectively, these three ministries provide the governing structure of Senegal's education system.

Senegal’s education system is based on the French model and includes three stages: six years of primary education, four years of lower secondary education, and three years of upper secondary education. After completing their primary education, students are required to pass the Certificat de Fin d'Études Élémentaires (CFEE), indicating completion of primary education and entrance into lower secondary education. The Brevet de Fin d’Études Moyennes (BFEM) is taken at the end of grade 9 and marks completion of lower secondary education and eligibility for either upper secondary or vocational education. Students take the Baccalauréat (BAC) at the end of upper secondary education, which is required to gain admission into post-secondary education. Students who do not continue in secondary education will generally find informal apprenticeships or may pursue vocational training in special funded vocational colleges supported by donor nations. At the post-secondary level, Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar and Gaston Berger University in Saint Louis offer a variety of programs in French in the fields of the humanities, sciences, engineering, medicine, and the law.