Overview
Republique de Côte d’Ivoire (Republic of Ivory Coast) is located in western Africa and is bordered by Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, and the Gulf of Guinea. French is the official language and more than 60 dialects are spoken, with Dioula as the most widely-spoken dialect. The population is 18,013,409 and the literacy rate is 50.9%.
Not much is known about the early history of the Côte d’Ivoire. The Akan people of western Africa invaded the area in the 19th century. In 1843, it became a protectorate of France and became a French colony in 1893. Independence from France was declared on August 7, 1960. In October 1985, the government requested that the country always be referred as the Côte d’Ivoire, rather than the Ivory Coast, which had been in common practice.
Education
Primary Education
l’École primaire begins at age 6 and lasts 6 years, and students are awarded a Certificat d’Études Primaires Elémentaires (CEPE) upon completion.
Secondary Education
Collège d’Énseignement Général is 4 years and, upon successful completion, students are awarded a Brevet d’Études du Premier Cycle (BEPC). First cycle technical studies are offered at Centres de Formation Professionnelle. They are 4 years and students are also awarded a Brevet d’Ètudes du Premier Cycle (BEPC).
Second cycle secondary studies are 3 years and are offered at lycées. Upon completion of the 3 years of study, students sit for the Baccalauréat or Diplôme de Bachelier de d’Énseignement du Second Degré examination. Technical second cycle secondary studies are offered at lycées techniques and lycées professionnels. Upon completion of the 3 years of study, students sit for the Baccalauréat Technique examination.
Technical and vocational post-secondary studies are offered at institutes and écoles supérieures. Programs are 2-3 years, depending on the field of study, and students are awarded a Brevet de Technicien Supérieur (BTS).
Post-Secondary Education
University studies are offered at 3 public universities, several private universities, university centers and other institutions. In 1996, the Université Nationale de Côte d’Ivoire was divided into three universities: Université de Cocody, the Université d’Abobo-Adjamé, and the Université de Bouaké. Admission requires a baccalauréat or a baccalauréat technique.
First Cycle
The premier cycle of university studies is 2-4 years, depending on the program of study. After 2 years of study, students are awarded a Diplôme Universitaire d’Études Générales (DEUG).
Instituts Universitaires de Technologie (IUT) offer 3-year programs and students are awarded a Diplôme Universitaire de Technologie (DUT) upon successful completion of studies.
Second Cycle
Deuxième cycle university studies require a DEUG. A licence is 1 year following a DEUG, and a maîtrise is 1 year following a licence. Beginning with the 2007-08 academic year, the DEUG was eliminated, and a licence is now a 3-year program requiring a baccalauréat for admission, and the maîtrise has become a 1-year master.
Third Cycle
Troisième cycle university studies include the Diplôme d’Études Supérieures Spécialisées (DESS) and the Diplôme d’Études Approfondies (DEA) which are both 1-year programs following either a licence or a maîtrise. Doctoral studies are 3 year following a DESS or a DEA and students are awarded a doctorat following successful defense of a dissertation.
Professional programs are generally follow a baccalauréat. Dentistry and pharmacy programs are 5 years, and students are awarded a Doctorate en Chirugie Dentaire or a Doctorate en Pharmacie. Medicine is 7 years and students are awarded Doctorate en Médecine. Engineering is 5 years and students are awarded a Diplôme de Ingénieur upon successful completion of the program. A Docteur-Ingénieur is awarded after 3 years of study following a Diplôme de Ingénieur program and successful defense of a dissertation.
Teacher Training
Teacher training programs programs offered at centres d’animation et de formation pédagogique (CAFAP) and require a baccalauréat for admission. Primary school teacher training programs are 3 years. Lower cycle secondary teacher programs are 3 years and students are awarded a Certificat d’Aptitude Pédagogique pour l’Enseignement du Premier Cycle (collèges modernes) (CAPCM). Upper secondary school teachers must hold a licence l’enseignement or, if they hold a licence in another field, they can complete a 1-year teacher training program followed by 1 year of student teacher to earn the Certificat d’Aptitude Pédagogique pourl’Enseignement du Second Degré (CAPES).
Technical secondary school teachers are trained at instituts pédagogique national de l’enseignement technique et professionnel. The programs of study are 2-5 years, depending on the level of instruction. 2-year programs award the title of Instructeur de Formation Professionnelle. 3-year programs award the title of Professeur de Centre de Formation Professionnelle, 4-year programs award the title of Professeur de Lycée Professionnel, and 5-year programs offer the title of Professeur Certifié de l’Enseignement Technique et de la Formation Professionnelle.
