Education System in Cape Verde


 EducationSchool/LevelGradesAgeYearsNotes
Primaryinstrução primária (Primary Education) 6Prior 1987
PrimaryPrimary8As of 2018/2019 school year, instituted into law before with a period of time to implement
PrimaryPrimary Education6After 1987: instrução primária (Primary Education)
PrimaryMiddle School2escola preparatória (Middle School)
Middleescola preparatória (Middle School) 3Prior 1987
SecondaryPre-University Course2Prior 1987
SecondarySecondary Education5After 1987 (Three-year general track followed by two-year pre-university preparation)
SecondaryLower Secondary2 
Secondarythree-year track (General Technical Education)3Prior 1987
SecondaryUpper Secondary2 
VocationalVocational Secondary3 
TertiaryBachelor4Bacharel (3 years) [no longer awarded] Licenciatura (Licentiate Diploma - 4 years)
TertiaryMaster2 
TertiaryDoctorate (PhD)1 

Primary Education

Education takes something of a back-seat in the Cape Verde Islands to the west of the bulge of Africa. Despite government policy that 6 years of primary education is compulsory, the literacy rate is only 70%, and just half of primary school pupils study further.

Secondary Education

Although the curriculum of secondary education is nominally divided into 3 years of lower and 2 years of higher respectively, the academic curriculum is seamless and the differentiation relatively meaningless. Students who wish to apply to university, must complete both phases though. Others often leave after the first.



Vocational Education

Vocational training in the formal sector aims at closing strategic skill gaps as measured at national level. Several partnered initiatives with donor countries are focusing on tourism training though the tourism development corporation, in an effort to promote economic self-sustainability.

Tertiary Education

Cape Verde EducationMost professionals on the Cape Verde Islands are college graduates with degrees from American and European universities. The local ones are the Jean Piaget University of Cape Verde (shown here) and the University of Cape Verde.

There are also several Institutes for engineering and maritime technology, and also nursing and teaching training.

Education is a matter of what society can afford and the economies of scale. In terms of this, the nation is unlikely to ever aspire to first world standards, and will continue to send its best children to study elsewhere.




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