A Critical Approach to the Community College Model in the Global Order: The College Universitaire Régional de Bambey (Senegal) as a Case Study

In the last decades of the twentieth century, the Senegalese public education system has been plagued with numerous problems, including the shrinking of funding sources, the lack of adequate facilities with more and more overcrowded class rooms, and the lowest rates of success ever, to name but a few. For the purpose of tackling this daunting situation efficiently, the government has devised a series of strategies including the introduction of “La Case des Tout-Petits” and the “Collège de Proximité”, and lastly the building of Regional University Centers.

“La Case des Tout-Petits” is a new concept that is inspired by the kindergarten model, where children's basic skills are developed through creative play and social interaction. The curriculum is largely rooted in Senegalese cultural values. With its health and nutrition components, it adds new dimensions to the educa tion of young children. “La Case des Tout Petits” goes beyond children aged from 2 to 5 to target even those who are under 1. The idea of the “Collège de Proximité,” is to build as many local middle schools as possible, especially in rural areas.¹ This initiative sprang from the same context and was concomitant with the government's attempt to meet the rapidly growing needs in second ary education. It has resulted in a decade of notable increase in the number of elementary school graduates.