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In Algeria, the education follows a 5-4-3 system, where
the primary school lasts for 5 years, the secondary school
for 4 years and the secondary school for 3 years. According
to UNESCO, 27% of the population over 15 years were
illiterate in 2006.
The education system in the country has undergone several
major changes since its release, but is built on the French
education system. Strengthening Arab - Islamic culture and
socialism has been central to the education system since
liberation. The schools are bilingual with tuition in both
Arabic and French.
Basic education
The 9-year primary school is compulsory and free for
everyone. The first 3 years will provide basic skills in
accounting, reading, language, physical education, religion
and aesthetic subjects. The next 3 years will also be taught
in natural sciences and social sciences. During the last 3
years of primary school, technology is also taught,
environmental, cultural and economic.
The high school has three fields of study - one academic,
one general and one technical, and concludes with a
bachelor's degree.
Multiparty Control
Bendjedid was re-elected in January 1984. In October
1988, protests began in several cities against the scarcity
of water and basic goods. The protests also called into
question the legitimacy of the FLN and the military. In this
situation, militant fundamentalist Muslims were among the
most important agitation groups. Some mosques - especially
in the popular districts - became the center of political
manifestations. Especially during the Friday prayer that was
used to formulate political and social demands. Some of the
most radical Islamist groups began sending volunteers to
Afghanistan to fight jihad"Holy war" against the
Soviet-backed Kabul regime. The protests and agitation
forced Bendjedid to promise a new constitution, which in
mid-1989 introduced multi- party rule, thus ending FLN's
27-year one-party rule.
Over 20 different political groups - among them several
Islamic ones - propagated openly to their positions. The
most important were: the Islamic Savior Front (FIS), the
Islamic Da'wa League, the Socialist Avant-garde Party (PAGS)
(Communist), and the Collection for Culture and Democracy (RDC),
which had a substantial Kabylian base - ethnic minority of
Berber origin. Mouloud Hamrouche, the leader of the
reformist sector, was appointed prime minister. At the first
multi-party election following Algeria's secession from
France, FIS won a significant victory over the FLN.
FIS wins the elections
In June 1991, the Mouloud Hamrouche government submitted
its farewell request following extensive agitation from the
mosques. At the same time, the country was put in a state of
emergency in light of the massive agitation by the FIS,
which required holding presidential elections on the
transformation of Algeria into an Islamic state. As new
prime minister was appointed Sid Ahmed Ghozali - an oil
technician who had been foreign minister in the previous
government. The government promised to conduct presidential
and parliamentary elections by the end of the year, and the
FIS stopped its agitation.
The country applied for loans from the IMF to offset the
falling oil prices and Ghozali made proposals for reform of
the electoral laws, which included: allowed the husband to
vote for his wife. But the changes were boycotted by the FLN
parliamentary majority. In the December 1991 elections,
turnout reached 60% of the 13 million eligible voters. The
result of the first round of elections was a big victory for
the FIS, gaining 188 out of 430 seats in parliament against
the FFS 25 and the FLN 15. The anti-fundamentalist sectors
in the country were deeply alarmed by the FIS victory in the
first round. This was especially true of the FFS and the
country's LO, UGTA. They conducted a demonstration with
100,000 participants in the capital city of Algiers. Also
included were women's organizations, middle classes and
intellectuals.
Coup
President Chadli Benjedid resigned following intense
pressure from the military and FLN politicians. They feared
a total FIS victory. Instead, a Supreme Security Council
consisting of 3 military people and the Prime Minister was
formed. A short time later, a Supreme Council of State was
led by Mohamed Boudiaf, who had been opposition leader
within FLN and in exile since 1964. The council immediately
initiated the arrest of FIS leaders and the election results
were canceled. In February, the State Council put the whole
country in a state of emergency for 1 year. The military
opposed any possible division of power with the FIS. On
March 25, 92, the FIS was banned. In the first days of
April, the government dissolved about 400 municipal councils
that had been chaired by members of the FIS since the June
1990 municipal elections. In late April, the Supreme Court
affirmed the illegalization of the FIS. |
