Formal
education has existed in Madagascar since the early 1800s when
a mission school was established in Antananarivo in 1820. The mission
schools were key to providing education to the country’s
people during this period. The present day education system consists
of; five years at primary level; four years at junior secondary
level and three years at senior secondary level.
The Country also has a number of universities and colleges most
notably;
The University of Madagascar: established as an institute of
Higher Studies in 1955, it became a full fledged university in
1961. Between 1972 and 1988, the University was composed of 6
satellite institutes with its main campus in Antananarivo.
Other
branches were situated in Fianarantsoa, Antsiranana, Toamasina,
Toliara and Mahajanga. After 1988 these institutes became independent.
The main campus in the Madagascan capital is now known as the
University of Antananarivo.
