Dakar Day 2

rbartnick
Apr 20, 2017
2 min read

After a much needed rest, we started our busy day at a fast pace.

Breakfast at the hotel was a pastry chef's dream.

I know I ate way too much but... I think the heat will burn it off....

The day started with a class on education in Senegal. While there are many similarities they have a few differences worth noting.

They have a preschool, elementary, general (middle and high), vocational, and then higher education. At each level the students must pass and exit exam or they do not move up to the next school level.

High school is broken down into two streams..

1--Literature. A) language or B) Human Science

2--Science. A) Science or B) Math

There is also an informal schooling system based on religious schooling. Many poor families send their boys to Darras which are religious schools to live and learn. However, many of the Darras send the boys out to beg during the day.

If a billiard has no school at the level of the student, the student must go to another villiage to go to school. This may mean walking up to 10 km each way or living with family in a villiage that has an appropriate level school.

Only about 38% of students graduate high school. This low rate is attributed to old buildings (literally falling apart), lack of equipment, high school drop out due to poverty and child labor, and the persistence of the Darras.

The even higher rate of girls dropping out is due to early marriage, pregnanccy, and work/home chores loads

Some regions have up to 47% unschooled children. There are no provisions for any special education except for a few schools for the blind and deaf.