Training
The level of education in Djibouti is
generally low. About one in four residents are
illiterate and half of the children do not complete
primary school.
Djibouti's school system is built on a French model.
Elementary school starts at the age of six. After a
formal mandatory six-year low-level phase, two voluntary
supplementary stages of four and three years
respectively follow. The latter corresponds to high
school.
In reality, in 2019, only two out of three children
in the relevant age group started in primary school and
many dropped out before completing all six years. Just
over one in three students started the secondary
education phase.
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COUNTRYAAH:
Country facts of Djibouti, including geography profile, population statistics, and business data.
It is mainly girls and children in the countryside
and among the nomadic population who do not receive
education. An important reason for this is that the
children in these groups usually have to help with the
family's livelihood.
The elementary school is free of charge, but the
families usually have to pay for textbooks, trips to and
from school and more. This means poor families cannot
afford to let their children go to school.
 School buildings are usually in miserable condition
and the quality of teaching is low. All teaching takes
place in French even though the children usually speak
Somali or Afaric. It is often the case that teachers
strike for higher salaries.
In addition to the state school, there are several
mission schools.
Djibouti's first university was founded in 2006.
Previously, anyone who wanted to study at a higher level
had to apply abroad, especially to France.
FACTS - EDUCATION
Proportion of children starting primary
school
55.1 percent (2017)
Number of pupils per teacher in primary
school
30 (2017)
Public expenditure on education as a
percentage of GDP
12.3 percent (2010)
Public expenditure on education as a
percentage of the state budget
12.3 percent (2010)
2014
December
Boycott of Parliament blown off
After 18 months of negotiations, the government and the opposition alliance
USN agree that the opposition will take its seats in the parliament which it
boycotted since the 2013 elections. The USN has refused to participate in
Parliament's work following allegations against the government on election
fraud. The election results were appealed but rejected by a court. The agreement
also includes the creation of a new, independent electoral commission.
November
US warns of new terrorist attacks
The United States warns of "specific terrorist threats" against Western
targets in Djibouti, both military and civilian.
June
The UN is again warning about the drought
The UN warns again of the consequences of the severe drought. Nearly a
quarter of the population is now in need of relief. Among the vulnerable groups
are over 27,000 refugees, most of them from Somalia, and 60,000 migrants from
Ethiopia (who plan to move on to the countries around the Persian Gulf). The
crisis has been going on since 2010, but the UN has had a hard time persuading
the outside world to assist those affected.
May
Suicide attack against restaurant
Two suicide bombers strike a restaurant in the capital Djibouti. The
restaurant is popular with Western visitors. The suicide bombers take at least
one person with them to death while 15 people are injured, including Frenchmen,
Dutchmen and Spaniards. The Somali militant Islamist group al-Shabaab takes on
the blame for the act. The motive is suspected to be that Djibouti participates
in the AU force helping the government of Somalia to fight al-Shabaab.
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