National Overview: Eritrea
Definition of Literacy - age 15 and over can read and write
Literacy rate -- total population: 58.6%; male: 69.9%; female: 47.6%, estimated in 2003
Written or Oral Language -- Elementary schools are taught in the native language. Middle schools are taught in English.
Occupational distribution -- agriculture: 80%; industry and services: 20%
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School Structure
Pre-Primary School:
Length: 2 years
Age level: 5-6 years old
Subjects/Curriculum: social interaction
Primary School:
Length: 5 years
Age level: 7-11 years old
Subjects/Curriculum: reading, writing, operations, math, biography, geography, national history, singin, arts, and sports
General Secondary School:
Length: 2 years
Age level: 12-13 years old
Subjects/Curriculum: continue with primary school subjects in more depth
Preparatory Secondary School:
Length: 4 years
Age level: 14-18 years old
Subjects/Curriculum: physics, chemistry, biology, history, geography, math, English language, and civics
Post-Secondary opportunities available -- There is only one university in Eritrea, the University of Asmara, which was organized by the Eritrean government in 1959. The University’s total enrollment in degree programs in 1999-2000 was 3,912. The University also offers opportunities for diplomas and certificates as well. Other post-secondary options include the Asmara Technical School, the Mai Habar School, and the Winna School.
Method of Instruction -- Students from each grade spend the full day in one classroom – although there are several breaks – while teachers of different subjects rotate around to teach their subject to various rooms of students (opposite of the American system which has students travel to different teacher’s rooms). Each class is roughly 45 minutes long and there are about 7 classes per day. Most learning is done by in-class lectures and daily reading assignments, although there may be some cases of out-of-class field learning in science or other relevant courses.
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Culture of the Classroom
Parent Involvement/Parent Role in Education -- Parents are very involved in their children’s education and are often in regular communication with the school and teachers. Parents ensure that their children complete home assignments and are doing well in their studies. There are no formal “parent-teacher conferences” but nonetheless there are open channels of feedback and communication between parents and teachers.
Culture of Classroom including Discipline -- Discipline is fairly strict in the classroom, as teachers expect their students to listen attentively, remain silent and avoid distractions, and ask permission to do anything outside of these expectations. No gum-chewing, eating, or drinking is allowed and students must receive permission to leave the classroom for any reason. A student class monitor also aids in discipline, and students who are caught misbehaving are expected to stand in front of the class and may receive some physical punishment (equivalent to being struck with a ruler).
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Access to Education
Accomodation for those with special needs -- Special needs learning education has not been adequately addressed in the nationwide educational system. Assessments show that only 10% of children with special needs get access to education. There are two non-government special schools in Eritrea one for the deaf and one for the blind.
Educational Barriers -- There were 680 private and public schools in 1996. Most schools, both public and private, require that students and their families provide tuition fees and cover all expenses including books and transportation needs. Thus, there are some cases of children (especially in rural areas) unable to afford any education, while also those that graduate from secondary school do not necessarily continue on to university. Most people are able to find employment without a university degree in common occupations such as agriculture, tourism, medical, banking, commercial, mining, maritime, and manufacturing.
Gender Access -- School has recently become much more gender-equal and parents generally chose to send both daughters and sons with the expectation that both girls and boys will achieve and have opportunities following graduation. Dehab Suleiman of the Research and Information Office of the National Union of Eritrean Women stated, “Women were denied basic education in traditional Eritrean society; they were expected to serve their husbands and raise children,” she says. “But these days women have access to education, even in the remote rural areas. Education is a gate for everything.”
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Progress
Eritrea, independent since 1991, is the youngest country in Africa and has invested heavily in public education and facilities since its inception. There have been significant improvements in increasing access and quality of education in recent years, both in overcoming gender disparities in educational opportunity and in subsidizing tuition throughout the country. School enrollment has increased 270% at the elementary and middle levels and 185% at high school levels, and the national literacy rate has more than doubled since 1996. However, lack of equally distributed infrastructure throughout the country as well as limited financial resources in this poor country restrict potential progress in education. Political and religious instability (tense relations with Ethiopia) may also deflect attention away from the educational agenda, however the Eritrean government continues to show support for education as a critical step in national development.
Recent Projects and Awards -- In 2002, Eritrea was selected for International Reading Association Literacy Award by UNESCO. In 2004, a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) project to increase access to computers and the internet access at University of Asmara, College of Arts and Sciences was initiated. THe project provides additional computers, increasing the current amount by 200%. The project has also built a relationship with the State University of New York at Stony Brook and University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Sources
http://www.asmera.nl/asmara-schools.htm
http://www.usaid.gov/locations/sub-saharan_africa/countries/eritrea/
http://www.usaid.gov/er
http://www.er.undp.org/
http://www.peacewomen.org/news/Eritrea/June04/jubilee.html
http://www.open.org/~tfl/eritrea/education.html
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/er.html
Rude, John C. ”Promises and Obstacles in Eritrea’s Education System.” Paper prepared for Harvard School of Education Conference on Eritrea. May, 1997.
Matewos, Senay. Student at St. Olaf College. Gave testimony of his personal experiences of school and the educational system during his childhood in Eritrea. He is Eritrean by birth, but has lived in the United States since age 12.
For Further Information
- Progress Eritrea (NGO located in UK)
- United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
- United States Agency for International Development (USAID); Eritrea Mission
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
- Eritrean Community Center of MN
- Eritrean Youth of Minnesota (EYOM)
- National Union of Eritrean Women (NUEW)
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Last Revised
06 June 2008
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