Date of the 1st review : 14 April 2008
Date of the 2nd review 29 May 2012
Date of the 3rd review : 2017
Algeria was reviewed on 11 April 2008. The troika consisted of Uruguay, the Philippines and Senegal.
9. Right to education
53. The right to education is enshrined in the basic statutes of the Republic which guarantee access to education and the free provision thereof to all children. Article 53 of the Constitution states that “The right to education is guaranteed. Education shall be provided free of charge under the conditions established by law.”
54. Moreover, the general educational policy bill emphasizes the compulsory nature of education for all girls and all boys aged between 6 and 16, with a possible two-year extension for disabled children. Parents or legal guardians who fail to comply with this obligation are liable to a fine.
55. Since acceding to independence, Algeria has devoted a substantial proportion of its resources to developing the national education sector. After more than 40 years of effort, Algeria has not only made up for its traditional backwardness in educational matters, but has also been able to meet the strong demand for education that has been expressed since independence.
56. Overall pupil numbers have increased tenfold since 1962 to reach the current level of 7.5 million pupils (as a result of an infrastructure programme and the recruitment of staff in all disciplines), which has today made it possible to achieve an enrolment rate of nearly 97 per cent, compared with only 43.5 per cent in 1965, thereby bringing Algeria closer to fulfilling the Millennium Development Goals.
57. Attention has also been paid to school support, involving the provision of millions of textbooks, the opening of school canteens for which appropriations have increased twelvefold since 1999, as well as of half-board or full-board facilities which doubled in number over the same period, school transport arrangements covering more than 1,000 of the country’s 1,561 communes, health services which are being made extensively available, and the allocation of new-school-year scholarships for the most needy children, numbering 3 million.
2. Constraints in the areas of education, health and employment
Right to education
94. In terms of the relevant indicators, while Algeria can point to the achievement of considerable progress, particularly as regards equality of access to education and schooling for girls, in response to both the Millennium Development Goals and the objectives of Education For All (EFA), the fact remains that these indicators, on closer analysis, show the existence and persistence of a number of difficulties relating in particular to educational wastage.
95. For example, with reference to the period from 2000-2001 to 2005-2006, the dropout rate rose from 1.78 per cent to 2.33 per cent for primary schools and from 10.83 per cent to 8.77 per cent for secondary schools. For the entire cycle of basic education, which constitutes the compulsory phase of schooling in Algeria, that is, the period from age 6 to age 16, the dropout rate rose from 4.49 per cent in 2000-2001 to 4.56 per cent in 2005-2006.
96. Educational counselling and assistance measures have also been taken as a means of combating educational wastage. They are aimed, inter alia, at keeping children in school as long as possible, particularly in the case of girls from underprivileged backgrounds.
97. The recent restructuring of the secondary education system also offers further possibilities for keeping pupils in the system by providing openings to occupational activity and springboards between the different parts of the education system (including, in particular, general education and vocational education and training), which now give pupils the chance to remain in the system as long as possible and to leave with a qualification that would facilitate their integration into working life.
NGOs which have submitted a report
Amnesty International (AI);
Algeria-Watch (AW);
Collectif des familles de disparu(e)s en Algérie (CFDA);
Congrès Mondial Amazigh (CMA);
European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ);
Fédération internationale des ligues des droits de l'homme (FIDH);
Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children (GIECPC);
ILGA (Abu Nawas, International Lesbian and Gay Association, ILGA-Europe, Pan African ILGA, Coalition of African Lesbians, The Rainbow Project, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission and ARC
International);
Al Karama for Human Rights (KHR);
Reporters sans Frontières (RSF).
HRC Summary does not mention the question of education
One recommendation concern education.
13. That Algeria pursue its efforts in the area of the right to education. (Syrian Arab Republic)
Algeria was reviewed on 29 May 2012. The troika consisted of Costa Rica, Nigeria and Philippines.
NGOs which have submitted a report
Recommandations relatives à l'éducation
129.39. Intensify its efforts in promoting equal opportunity and treatment for women in other aspects, such as employment, education and family life, as well as to adopt necessary legislation to prohibit and criminalize all forms of violence against women and domestic violence (Thailand);
129.57. Consolidate economic, social and cultural rights (Palestine) and pursue its efforts in this area, particularly in the area of the right to education (Republic of Moldova);
129.58. Address the geographic inequalities in access to education and school enrolment rates by creating new institutions and expanding the school transport system (Iraq);
129.60. Carry on its efforts on education and training for the population (Iran (Islamic Republic of);
129.70. Enhance access to primary health care and education for people in the South, with an aim to achieve universal access for all (Thailand) and continue to work on providing health and education services for remote areas (Oman);
129.73. Continue to promote its excellent education policy in order to eradicate school drop-out during mandatory basic education (Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of);
129.74. Strengthen its efforts to reduce the high school drop-out rates of girls at intermediate and
secondary school levels (Côte d’Ivoire) and reinforce girls’ education, notably in the rural areas (Togo);
129.75. Continue its efforts to provide appropriate education opportunities to persons with disabilities (Ecuador) taking into account the specific needs of persons with disabilities, either in education or on health (Saudi Arabia);
129.76. Continue its efforts aimed at improving access to health services and education (Bangladesh);
129.77. Continue its efforts to bridge the gaps in the field of health and education in remote areas
(Qatar);
129.78. Continue with its education policy to ensure that children, and particularly girls, get a quality education that promotes equality and non-discrimination (Ecuador);
129.79. Continue the necessary efforts in order to strengthen the right to education, and include within the education process a culture of human rights (Saudi Arabia) step up efforts to strengthen public education, awareness and capacity building programme and skill training particularly aimed at increasing awareness on human rights in the country (Malaysia);
129.80. Step up efforts to provide greater access to education and health (Senegal);
129.81. Promote and support programs for the youth (Djibouti),keep on its effort on health services policy and promoting the employment of youth (Iran (Islamic Republic of); develop training programmes for the youth so as to improve their access to the labour market (Sudan) step up its efforts in the field of vocational training for them as a way to lower the unemployment rate and to promote comprehensive economic and social development (China) create jobs in order to reduce unemployment amongst them (Sudan) and provide more resources for strategies and programs aimed at fighting against unemployment, especially among young people and to reduce disparities between regions and social groups, especially regarding access to education and health care (Viet Nam);
The summary does not address the issue of education
On the basis of all the recommendations received by Algeria for the first two cycles, 4 of them are related to human rights education and training.
Conduct an awareness-raising campaign to ban violence against women
Continue the necessary efforts in order to strengthen the right to education, and include within the education process a culture of human rights
Step up efforts to strengthen public education, awareness and capacity building programme and skill training particularly aimed at increasing awareness on human rights in the country
Pursue to further its politics regarding human rights education and training for law enforcement officials in the field of combating torture and ill-treatment