Training
As in the other French-influenced Africa, education in
Senegal has been strongly influenced by the French system of
domination of the French language. Various interest groups
agreed in 1981 on certain reform requirements, which were
codified in what was called Les États Généraux de
l'Education in 1985, after which the reform process was
started.
Schooling is compulsory between 7 and 12 years in a
general primary school. Absence is high, however; only 75%
of children start school. Senegal has a considerable
illiteracy. Reading and writing skills among the adult
population (over 15 years) were estimated to be 50% in 2009
(62% for men and 39% for women). The primary school is
followed by a 4-year lower secondary school and then by a
3-year higher secondary school that qualifies for higher
studies. Hardly one in four pupils go on to secondary
school. In 2008, 19% of government spending was spent on
education. See TOPSCHOOLSINTHEUSA for TOEFL, ACT, SAT testing locations and high school codes in Senegal.
In Dakar there is a university, Université Cheikh Anta
Diop, with seven faculties. In 1991, a university was also
founded in Saint-Louis, Université Gaston Berger.
In 2011, Senegal cut off diplomatic relations with Iran,
which the country accused of providing weapons to
Separatists in the Casamance region. The weapons had been
used for the killings of 3 government soldiers. In 2008,
Iran had built a car factory in Dakar that could produce
10,000 cars annually.
On January 27, 2012, the Supreme Court issued a ruling
that Wade could stand for president. His first term in 2000
did not speak. The order promptly triggered demonstrations,
and the next month leading up to the first round of
elections, Dakar was characterized by demonstrations against
Wade, who were met with tear gas and rubber bullets.
Macky Sall won the presidential election in March 2012
with 65.8% of the vote over the sitting Wade by 34.2%. In
the first round in February, Sall had gained 26.6%, while
Wade had 34.8%. There was talk that the entire opposition
had joined behind Sall to secure Wade's defeat. Sall was a
long-time member of Wade's PDS until November 2008, when he
came into conflict with the president. He was then removed
as president of the National Assembly, broke out of the PDS,
formed his own party APR and joined the opposition.
Wade declared his defeat the same evening as the election
results were available, thus giving way to Sall, who was
deployed on the presidential post April 2. Sall appointed
Abdoul Mbaye as his prime minister. Mbaye is a technocrat,
former banker and politically independent. Internationally
renowned musician Youssou N'Dour became Minister of Tourism
and Culture in the new government. He had tried in January
to run for president, but had been disqualified by the
authorities. After the election, Sall proposed that Senegal
amend the constitution, reducing the presidential term from
7 to 5 years (as it was before) and with a maximum of 2
periods.
In August 2012, Senegal and the AU signed an agreement to
set up a special court in which Chad's former president,
Hissène Habré, is due to be charged with genocide. Senegal
had refused to extradite him to the ICC. In July 2013, this
court brought charges against Habré and the case was
expected to start in May 2015.
In September 2012, the National Assembly decided to
abolish the Senate, saving the state $ 15 million. US $
annually. That same month, the state-owned ferry Le Joola
sank off the Gambia coast and killed 2,000 people.
In September 2013, the President replaced Prime Minister
Abdoul Mbaye with Aminata Touré. However, she only sat on
the record for 10 months. In July 2014, the president
replaced her with Mohammed Dionne after she failed to win a
Dakar term in the local elections that month.
In March 2014, Senegal was subjected to the regular
review of human rights in the country by the UN Human Rights
Council. International human rights organizations had
expressed concern in advance about the country's security
forces' suppression of freedom of speech and assembly, the
regular disappearances and the gross suppression of LGBT
people's rights. Senegal refused to do anything to improve
the rights of the LGBT group, or to combat disappearances by
security forces.
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