Official education systems in Algeria were begun by trench colonists who forced school-going Algerian children to learn the European languages that their own children where familiar with. Schools were not widespread and only a small minority were able to receive this education. Things changed dramatically when Algeria gained independence. Schooling systems underwent a major reform and more schools were built and made accessible to the general population. However, Algerians education levels are still way below the desired level.
According to a census taking in 2003, only 70 percent of the population was literate. Whilst not bad compared to some other African countries, this still falls far below international standards. Statistics showed that some more males are literate than females. There is a startling 20% difference between the two genders despite the widespread promotion of gender equality. The largest challenged currently faced by the education is that of actually keeping school-age children in school. While Algerian law states that all children aged 6-15 must attend school, there is still a startling lack of enrollment of children by parents. Most children are enrolled in primary school, but only about half of these are again enrolled in secondary school. While schools are free, accessibility may prove to be a challenge for some - especially in rural areas. Sometimes, but not always, there may also not be enough emphasis on the importance of completing secondary education within the family unit.
Algeria has a good number of tertiary education facilities. These include 10 universities, seven university centers and a number of technical colleges. Until recently, the primary language for instruction at these institutions has been Arabic but Berber has been permitted since 2003. Those that take their schooling seriously and who graduate from university often go on to get better jobs and live better lives than their contemporaries. Thus Algerian education is important. However, because the employment rate is not very high, many of these educated Algerians often leave their homeland in search of a better life for their dependents.
