Education in Mauritania
13 Nov 2008 Leave a Comment
Brandon and I have been to the collège and lycée one too many times in the past weeks. It always surprises me that whenever we go there are always students outside of the gates – sitting around, waiting for their next class. They’re not allowed in the courtyard; at the lycée the door is locked and there’s always a guard. I find this rather funny. It’s also seems like such a waste of time or an inefficient way to run a school.
Anyways, the education system in Mauritania is messed-up; it is so inefficient! It also seems like few people care about their education or their children’s education. I know that this is probably not true but it just seems like it when the school year didn’t really start until two weeks later. As I mentioned in my previous post, school technically started on the 12th but it was not fully in session until the end of October. During the first week of classes the teachers and students were all still at home.
I guess I don’t really blame the students or teachers because the education system just doesn’t make sense. Teachers are moved around the country in an effort to integrate the country. So you have white Moors in the South and Black Africans in the north. If a teacher is not happy with his/her placement, s/he will fight it to get it changed. For example, I met a teacher (he taught French to the middle school girls) who was moved to Tawaz (a village about 45 minutes away) but is fighting it. He refuses to go to the village to teach and as far as I know he’s still here. I just don’t get it why the Mauritanian government would practice this policy. Can’t they find other ways to integrate the country? Another example is of the lycée director who was switched a few weeks ago; I have no idea where he ended up – maybe in Nouakchott where he wanted to be?
Education also seems pointless in this country because there aren’t that many jobs – even if you have a degree. Some people end up teaching just because that’s the only job that’s available. It really sucks. So I can totally understand why people just don’t place an importance on education. I wouldn’t either if I knew that my chances of getting a job (that I want) are slim.
So what does all of this mean for us and our work? It definitely makes our jobs a lot harder because it’s an entire culture and infrastructure that we have to change (like I’ll do that). I’m not expecting to accomplish much; I’m just going to do what I have to do and see how it goes.
