Cameroonian Education System
The educational system in a country is a formal organization of the educational, academic and professional pathway. In Cameroon, the educational system is dependent on the colonial legacy. Since the country was under the trusteeship of France and Great Britain, the educational system was divided into two sub-systems namely the French-speaking and English-speaking sub-systems. Through these two sub-systems « the bicultural nature of the nation is reaffirmed » (See the general law governing education of 14 April 1998). Both sub-systems coexist maintaining each its particular methods of evaluation and certification. Besides government schools, private religious and secular schools occupy a prominent place.
NURSERY EDUCATION IN THE TWO SUBSYSTEMS
The entrance age for kindergarten is 4 years and studies last 2 years.
The aim of the kindergarten is to awaken the physical, socio-emotional and intellectual potential of the child. It prepares children for entry into primary school. Although no certificate is awarded at this level of studies, the fact remains that the nursery report card obtained is an requirement for admission into Class One (Section d’Initiation au Langage (SIL) for the French Sub-system) or Class two (cours Préparatoire Spécial, CPS, for the French Sub-system) (CPS) for the brightest pupils.
However, on the field, we find that most kindergartens include four sections namely the junior section, the middle section and the upper section. Since the age of admission into this the kindergarten is not always respected, we are having increasingly younger holders of the GCE A-level (15-16years). If that is the pride of parents and the entire school community, it is necessary nevertheless to emphasize that physical maturity goes hand in hand with intellectual maturity; hence the need to respect the age requirements.
PRIMARY EDUCATION IN THE TWO SUBSYSTEMS
The minimum age is 6 years. Each subsystem consists of three levels each:
Level I : Class one and class two [SIL (Section d’Initiation au Langage) CP (cours Préparatoire) et and to some extent the CPS (cours Préparatoire Spécial) for the French-speaking sub-system]
Level ll : Class three and class four [cours élémentaires I et II for the French-speaking sub-system]
Level lll : Class five and class six [cours moyens I et II for the French-speaking sub-system]
Primary education is fundamental and compulsory because, for his self-fulfilment, an individual must “know how to read, write, do simple calculations, explore his environment, etc.” After six years of study in the French-speaking sub-system and seven years in the English-speaking sub-system, the pupil obtains the Certificat d’Etude Primaire (CEP) or the First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC) respectively, opening the way either for vocational training or entry into secondary school Read further