For now, I am living in Mauritania. Before, I lived in several other African countries. In all of them, I have been involved in some schools. Most of the time I have worked at the high school and university levels, although I also spent some time with elementary age students, and I have also visited a number of schools.
There is no one way to describe the schools. They are very different. Some schools are pretty much like U.S. schools. Some are very poor. The students are always similar, because everywhere, they want to learn! It is widely believed that education is the best preparation for the future.
One difference from the U.S. is that girls and boys are treated differently in school. Most African families are more concerned about their sons’ education than their daughters’. That is a traditional way of thinking. Things are changing, though, and girls often have the highest grades and they work very hard.
After school time, in many places, girls have a lot of housework to do. They help to cook and clean—with few machines. They sweep without vacuum cleaners. Clothes are washed by hand. At the same time, boys can go out to play or do homework. Little by little, the importance of letting girls have more time for education is becoming accepted.
