Education in Gabon

Most children in Gabon start their school lives by attending nurseries (Crèche), then kindergarten (Jardins d'Enfants).

The curriculum consists of French, mathematics, history, geography, civics, science, and physical education.

This is in preparation for the Certificat d'Études Primaires (CEP) national exam, which officially sanctions primary school graduation.

In addition the Concours d'Entrée en sixième is used to determine in which public secondary schools students will be routed, based on their performance.

Gabon's main cities of Libreville, Port-Gentil, Franceville, Oyem, Mouila, and Tchibanga account for more than 95% of all day care and pre-kindergarten schools in the country.

Secondary school consists of seven grades: sixième (6e), cinquième (5e), quatrième (4e), troisième (3e), seconde (2nde), première (1ere) and terminale (tle).

In the last Collège grade, 3e, students are enrolled in a national exam called "Brevet d'Études du premier cycle" (B.E.P.C.).

This exam originally served to determine eligibility to enroll in the Second Cycle, but is now only used to obtain an official diploma, as students go to 2nde based solely on their 3e grades.

In addition, students who are older than 13 are not allowed into general education public secondary school, regardless of their exam grades.

All students who passed the baccalaureate exams were eligible for a scholarship if accepted at any public or private university anywhere in the world.

In 1981, the government created a free standing agency "Direction Generale des Bourses et Stages"(DGBS),[6] to regulate and administer the scholarship.

The government of Gabon has implemented several programs dating back to the late 1960s aimed at encouraging education.

The stipend is commonly referred to as La Bourse and is the most popular program among students, who have started riots when the government failed to deliver the money on time.