Algeria

Partners situated in Algeria

None.

Algeria in a nutshell

Algeria (Formal Arabic: الجزائر, al-Jazā’ir; Berber: Dzayer), officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country located in North Africa. It is the largest country on the Mediterranean sea, the second largest on the African continent and the eleventh-largest country in the world in terms of land area.

It is bordered by Tunisia in the northeast, Libya in the east, Niger in the southeast, Mali and Mauritania in the southwest, a few kilometers of the Moroccan-controlled Western Sahara in the southwest, Morocco in the west and northwest, and the Mediterranean Sea in the north. I

Its size is almost 2,400,000 km2 with an estimated population near to 35,000,000.

The capital of Algeria is Algiers.

About a quarter of the population of the country lives off less than US$ 2 a day.

Algeria is a member of the United Nations, African Union, OPEC and the Arab League. It also contributed towards the creation of the Maghreb Union.

Algeria is considered by Berbers to be a part of the Berber World.

The population of Algeria is 34,895,000 (January 2010 est.), with 99% classified ethnically as Arab or Berber. At the outset of the 20th century, Algeria's population was approximately 4 million. About 90% of Algerians live in the northern, coastal area; the minority who inhabit the Sahara are mainly concentrated in oases, although some 1.5 million remain nomadic or partly nomadic. Almost 30% of Algerians are under the age of 15. Most Algerians have ancestry coming from Arabs, Berbers, and to a lesser extend Southern Europeans and Sub-Saharan Africans. Furthermore, the country has a diverse population ranging from light skinned, blue eyed Kabyles in the atlas mountains to dark skinned Black African looking populations in the Sahara (e.g. the Tuaregs and Gnawa). Descendants of Andalusian refugees are also present in the population of Algiers and other cities. Linguistically, ~83% of Algerians speak Algerian Arabic, while ~15% speak Berber dialects who are to be found in the Kabyle and Chaoui regions mainly. French is widely understood, and Standard Arabic (FosHaa) is taught to and understood by most Algerian Arabic-speaking youth.

Europeans account for less than 1% of the population, inhabiting almost exclusively the largest metropolitan areas. However, during the colonial period there was a large (15.2% in 1962) European population, consisting primarily of French people, in addition to Spaniards in the west of the country, Italians and Maltese in the east, and other Europeans such as Greeks in smaller numbers. Known as pieds-noirs, European colonists were concentrated on the coast and formed a majority of the population of Oran (60%) and important proportions in other large cities like Algiers and Annaba. Almost all of this population left during or immediately after the country's independence from France. Shortages of housing and medicine continue to be pressing problems in Algeria. Failing infrastructure and the continued influx of people from rural to urban areas has overtaxed both systems. According to the UNDP, Algeria has one of the world's highest per housing unit occupancy rates for housing, and government officials have publicly stated that the country has an immediate shortfall of 1.5 million housing units.

Women make up 70 percent of Algeria's lawyers and 60 percent of its judges, and also dominate the field of medicine. Increasingly, women are contributing more to household income than men. Sixty percent of university students are women, according to university researchers. It is estimated that 95,700 refugees and asylum-seekers have sought refuge in Algeria. This includes roughly 90,000 from Morocco and 4,100 from Palestine. An estimated 46,000 Sahrawis from Western Sahara live in refugee camps in the Algerian part of the Sahara Desert. As of 2009 35,000 Chinese migrant workers lived in Algeria.

Algeria education policy

At independence in 1962 the Algerian education system was highly exclusive and geared toward the training of a French colonial elite. With the creation of the Ministry of Education in 1963, the process of building an inclusive and open national education system was set in motion. Officials charged with developing the education system placed their focus on a number of goals, primary among which were the “Arabization” of curriculum and faculty, the upgrading of teaching skills at all levels, and the promotion of a skilled class of workers and technicians through the emphasis of technical and vocational education.

In the early 1960s, French was replaced by Arabic as the language of instruction at the primary level, and later in the 1960s Arabic was standardized as the language of instruction at the secondary level. French continues to be used in technical fields at many post-secondary institutions, despite a 1991 law mandating the use of Arabic in all sectors and at all levels. Arabic is, however, used as the language of instruction at the post-secondary level in most non-technical faculties.

An education reform passed in 1971 introduced the nine-year basic education program. Further reforms in 1976 extended the period of compulsory education from six years to 10 years while also guaranteeing that education at every level be provided free to all. In addition to guaranteeing tuition-free instruction, the reforms of 1976 mandated that education be the exclusive domain of the state. As a result, the private sector has had little impact on education and training in Algeria; however, private instruction has been offered on a limited basis since the early 1990s and may soon play a bigger role. Reacting to a need to reduce the burden on the state, the government passed an executive decree in 2004 that amended the 1976 reforms and explicitly allowed for the establishment of private institutions of education under well-defined regulations. Private education in Algeria still remains, however, very much a nascent industry.

The Ministry of National Education is responsible for the supervision of basic and secondary education; the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and the Ministry of Professional Education in collaboration with various other relevant ministries regulate the tertiary sector.

Algeria education system

Education in Algeria is free and officially compulsory for Algerians up to age 17, but actual enrollment falls far short of 100 percent. Enrollment drops off sharply from primary to secondary school. In fact, only about half the eligible population is enrolled in secondary school, which consists of two three-year cycles beginning at age 12. In addition, Algeria has: 34 Universities 13 University Centers 21 National Superior Institute 8 Preparatory Institutes. The primary language of school instruction is Arabic, but Berber-language instruction has been permitted since 1999, in part to ease reliance on foreign teachers but also in response to complaints about Arabization.

As of 2008, Algeria's literacy rate is 69–70 percent, higher than those of Morocco and Egypt but subpar by international standards. The breakdown by gender is 79 percent for males and 61 percent for females, A lag persists for women despite progress since independence in 1962. Education consumes one-quarter of the national budget. Algeria faces a shortage of teachers as a result of the doubling in the number of eligible children and young adults in the last 12 years.

The structure of the school system is based on 6+3+3 model: six years of primary school, three years of lower secondary school and another three years of upper secondary school. Together, the nine years of primary and lower secondary education constitute the compulsory basic education phase. The number of children completing a primary education has been rising steadily through the 1990s, especially among female students. In 1990, 80 percent of students beginning primary education graduated (74 percent female, 87 percent male), while in 2003 93 percent of students finished primary school (both male and female). Net primary enrollment rates (as a percentage of school-age children) stood at 95 percent in 2003. Although enrollment rates are relatively high at the primary level, only 59 percent of the relevant age cohort enrolled in secondary studies in 1999. In the tertiary sector, total student enrollments have grown exponentially since independence: 2,809 (1962), 19,213 (1970), 79,351 (1980), 258,995 (1989), and 423,000 in 1999.

The Ministry of Higher Education lists a total of 57 public institutions of higher education: 27 universities, 13 university centers, 6 national schools (écoles nationales), 6 national institutes (instituts nationaux), and 4 teacher-training institutes (écoles normales supérieures). The structure of university studies is currently being reformed from a 3-4-5-7 system to a 3-5-8 system based on a three-year licence, two-year master and a three-year doctorat.

Primary Education (Enseignement Fondamental)

The first nine years of schooling, comprising the basic education cycle, is compulsory for all children of school age (usually age six and above). It is divided into three cycles of three years (de base, d’éveil and d’orientation). The first two cycles are taught at primary schools (écoles primaires) and the third cycle at middle school (école complementaire). In addition, there are integrated schools (école fondamental intégrée) teaching all nine years of basic education under the same roof. In academic year 1992-93, English was introduced alongside French as a first foreign language to be taught from the beginning of the second three-year cycle. Prior to this, French was the only foreign language taught at the primary level. Students pick up either French or English as their second foreign language in the eighth grade. In the first six years of basic education students attend class for 27 hours a week and from 32 to 35 hours a week in the final three-year cycle. Students are assessed on the results of their coursework, and progression between grades is based on these results. Students who perform poorly in key subjects are required to take make-up classes, or to retake the year if they have an overall average below 50 percent. Promotion to the third cycle of basic education is based exclusively on student performance in the sixth grade. In the third cycle, students are assessed and promoted to successive grades based on their coursework; an average of 50 percent (10 out of 20) or better is required for progression. At the end of basic education (grade 9) students take the national basic education certificate examination. Students who are successful on the examination and in their final year of studies are awarded the Brevet d’Enseignement Fondamental (BEF), which grants them access to one of the three streams (troncs communs) of the first year of secondary studies. In 2001/02, 43 percent of 600,848 students passed the BEF. Duration: Nine years divided into three three-year cycles.

Secondary Education (Enseignement Secondaire)

Students choosing to pursue the baccalauréat, the national competitive school-leaving examination, are streamed into one of two branches: technical/vocational or general and specialized. Secondary studies leading to the baccalauréat are three years in duration and offered at general, technical and combined schools (lycées d’enseignement général, technique and lycées polyvalents). The main objective of the general secondary stream is to prepare students for further studies. Students graduating from the technical/vocational stream also have the option of furthering their studies at an institution of higher education; however, training is mainly geared toward professional pursuits, often in conjunction with business, public institutions and labor unions. Specialized professional training programs of one to four years in duration are also available to holders of the Brevet d’Enseignement Fondamental who do not wish to pursue the baccalauréat. Students in the first year of secondary studies follow one of three core curriculums: languages and social studies (lettres); sciences (natural and physical); and technology (mathematics, physical sciences and technology). In the second and third year of studies, students specialize further although remain within the framework of the general or technical baccalauréat streams. In total, there are 15 concentrations (séries) that branch from the three first-year core curriculums.

• In the general education stream there are five main concentrations: hard sciences; natural and life sciences; liberal arts and literature; literature and foreign languages; religious studies.
• In the technical/vocational stream students follow one of six concentrations: electronics; electrotechnology; mechanics; public works and construction; chemistry; and accounting.
• Hybrid concentrations exist in the following fields: mechanical technology; electrical technology; civil technology; and business and management. Students following these concentrations are awarded the Baccalauréat de l’Enseignement Secondaire, option “Technologie”.

Students are streamed according to their personal preferences, the opinion of their teachers and counselors, their results on the Brevet d’Enseignement Fondamental exam, their overall performance in grade nine, and the number of slots available in each specialization. Promotion to successive grades is based on student performance through the year. Students sit for the baccalauréat examinations at the end of the third year of secondary education, and admission to tertiary-level institutions is based on student performance in these exams. Students are examined in each subject studied during their final year and earn the baccalauréat if they score a combined average of over 50 percent (greater than 10 on a 20-point scale) in all subjects. Failure rates are high and a majority of students take the exam at least twice before passing. In 2001/02, just 35 percent of 349,795 students passed the main summer exams and of the 230,233 that retook in September 18,524 (9 percent) passed. Just over 90 percent of test takers were enrolled in the general stream. The school year is 36 weeks long and divided into trimesters. Arabic is the language of instruction in all subjects except foreign languages. Students specializing in natural sciences, physical sciences and mathematics receive supplementary French-language classes to prepare them for training at the tertiary level which, in the sciences and mathematics, are still commonly taught in French. In 2005, a total of 1,123,123 students were enrolled in grades 10 through 12. Duration of program: Three years Curriculum:

• In the first year of secondary studies (technical and general), all students take classes in the following subjects: Arabic, mathematics, history and geography, Islamic studies, physical sciences, two foreign languages (French and English), information technology, art and music, physical education. In addition, students take technical design, natural sciences, and a third foreign language depending on their stream.
• In the second year, students in the same streams take similar classes, but with different weightings depending on their concentration. For example, students studying in the five concentrations from the general education stream are all required to take classes in Arabic, mathematics, history and geography, Islamic studies, philosophy, two foreign languages, art or music, physical education and one of either physical or natural science. In the third year, students specialize to a greater degree in their area of concentration. In the second and third years of the technical stream, approximately two-thirds of all classes are focused on technical training and other technical subjects related to the specialization, with the remaining classes devoted to general academic subjects.

Higher education

Universities in Algeria

(sourced from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_universities_in_Algeria)

Algeria has a developed educational system based on European methodologies with strong efficient research in mathematics and technology. The estimated number universities and colleges for 2005 was 130. The following are among the main universities:

1. Annaba University
2. Abou Bakr Belkaïd University
3. University of Algiers - founded 1909 - see http://www.univ-alger.dz/univ_ang/ (English site)
4. Badji Mokhtar University
5. University of Batna
6. Ecole Nationale d'Administration à Alger
7. Ecole Nationale Polytechnique - see http://www.enp.edu.dz/
8. University of Blida
9. Djillali Liabes University
10. Université de Bejaia
11. University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediène
12. University of Mostaganem
13. University of Oran
14. Es-senia University
15. Mentouri University

Higher education reform

The Bologna Process

There are developments fostered by France in Algeria and the other Francophone countries of North Africa.

Central to the plan of increasing student mobility is the introduction of a unit- and credit-accumulation system. Under the plan, classes are grouped into modules (unités d’enseignement) that comprise core classes specific to the general field of study (unité d’enseignemnet fondamentale); required classes for particular subjects of study (unité d’enseignement de découverte); and electives outside the student’s area of specialization (l’unité d’enseignement transversal). Instruction and assessment for each module is organized on a semester, rather than yearly, basis and is composed of a certain number of academic credit hours which are transferable as part of the overall module of study. One credit is equal to a student workload of 20 to 25 hours, and one semester of full-time study constitutes 30 credit hours. In line with the newly introduced European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), credit loads under the new academic structure are as follows:

• Licence (Bac+3, bac+6 semesters) = 180 crédits
• Master (licence + 2years, licence + 4 semesters) = 120 crédits

Algeria's HEIs in the information society

Information society strategy

Algeria is encouriging the use of ICT in education by preparing an ICT policy framework along with an implementation steratgey. The government has set up a special Committee to synergise different sectors in the area of ICT (infrastructure -research - software ..)

Virtual Campuses in HE

Interesting Virtual Campus Initiatives

None known.

Interesting Programmes

None known.

Re.ViCa Case-study

None.

Lessons learnt

None.

References

Wikipedia entries

• Algeria
• List of universities in Algeria
• Education in Algeria (rather brief)

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