NewHopeBenin

About Benin
Benin, a coastal sliver of land in West Africa, is like most of Sub-Saharan Africa. This small country is home to over 40 ethnic groups each with their own language. Dependent on subsistence agriculture, the majority of Benin’s 7.5 million people live on less than $2 a day.  Ranked by the UN as 166th out of 177 nations for quality of life, only 35 percent of Benin’s adults can read and only 70% of primary school-aged girls are in school.
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In spite of these challenges, Benin has enjoyed considerable political stability for over 20 years and continued economic growth as a transportation hub for land-locked neighboring countries. These positive political and economic indicators promise a brighter future for this often overlooked country.
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In Benin, children can begin primary school when they reach the age of five. Primary school consists of 6 years all taught in French. Children must pass a national exam to receive their “Certificat d’Etudes Primaires.” If successful, they can continue their studies in secondary school, receiving a Lower Secondary School Certificate (Brevet d'études du premier cycle) and Secondary School Certificate (Baccalauréat), respectively.
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In 1970, Benin established its own university, Université du Dahomey. It became Université Nationale du Bénin (UNB) in 1975. Benin's higher education system is centralized and is mostly public. The UNB caters to most of the demand for post-secondary education in the country.

UNB is composed of 19 institutions scattered on 6 campuses. Enrollments at the main campus, Abomey-Calavi, have grown considerably from 350 students in 1970 to 16,284 in 1999, including 3,346 (20.5%) women. Student enrollment in higher education represents only 1% of the age group.A recent study identified 27 private higher education institutions with enrollment ranging from 20 to 521 students, even though no such institution existed in the early 1990s. Most of these schools are located in the country's major city and are rather small institutions offering two-year courses in industrial, business, and secretarial areas. Some of them are affiliated to foreign higher education institutions (mainly in France) and provide joint higher-level courses. The private higher education institutions in Benin together enroll about 2,700, which represents 16% of enrollments in higher education in the country.
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