Côte D'ivoire - Education

Education is free at all levels. Primary education lasts for six years and secondary for seven years (four years of lower secondary followed by three years of upper secondary). Projected adult illiteracy rates for the year 2000 stand at 53.2% (males, 45.4%; females, 61.5%). In 1997, there were 7,599 primary schools with 1,735,814 students. In secondary schools, there were 534,214 students. The pupil-teacher ratio at the primary level was 43 to 1 in 1999. In the same year, 59% of primary-school-age children were enrolled in school. The National University of Côte d'Ivoire, located in Abidjan and established as a university in 1964, has six faculties. In 1995, there were 52,228 students in post-secondary education, 24% of which were female. As of 1999, public expenditure on education was estimated at 3.7% of GDP.