Pre-primary education in Senegal is for children aged 3 to 5 years, for up to three years. Senegal has made significant efforts to protect and nurture infants with measures including the establishment of new pre-school institutions and implementing policies. pre-schools in Senegal are divided into 4 categories namely public-run kindergartens, private kindergartens or nurseries, Community Centres, and Children’s Huts. In particular, Children’s Huts were introduced after 2000 and are run on a local community basis. They and aim to provide holistic pre-school education such as infant education, health and hygiene, and nutritional management, to mention but a few. Tuition in pre-primary schools is in french, which allows easy transition into primary school, where the official language of instruction is french.
- Ages : 3-5 years
- Duration: 2-3 years
- Primary Languages: French
- Terms : 3 terms
- Admission Term: Beginning of the term
- School types: kindergarten, nursery, children’s huts, community centers
Pre-primary education generally focuses on the holistic development of children and focuses on a variety of areas namely language development, self-care, numbers, writing, reading, drawing, outdoor play, exploration, play, music, and dance, to mention but a few.
Examples of International Pre-Schools in SENEGAL
Les Petits Flamboyants
This is an international pre-school that aims to help children develop their full potential and to equip them for the future. The school bases on 5 main values and principles including Self-respect, for others and their environment, Self-esteem, Autonomy, A collaborative spirit, and Openness to the world. It offers creche, nursery, and kindergarten classes. Children here learn through a variety of play-based activities.
- Ages: 2to 6 years
- Language of instruction: french
- Type: Nursery, kindergarten
kindergarten classes offer a combination of the French and Senegalese nursery programs. The program aims to help children to Mobilize language in all its dimensions, to Act, express themselves, and understand the world through physical, artistic, and exploratory activities, and to Explore the world. The school offers 4 levels of nursery classes namely the
- Tout Petite Section (TPS) for 2 to 3-year-olds
- Petite Section (PS) for 3 to 4-year-olds
- Intermediate Section (MS) for 4 to 5-year-olds
- Grande Section (GS) for 5 to 6-year-olds
In kindergarten classes helps the children build relationships with other children and with adults around them, exercise their motor, sensory, affective, relational, and intellectual skills, and also develop writing, listening, and counting skills to mention but a few.
Students here learn through a variety of daily routines of activities including Nursery rhymes, fingerplays, album reading, Global motor skills Workshops, Hygiene, snack, recess, Structured artistic workshops, Grouping, hygiene, Free play, quiet activities, Toilet routine, storytelling, Musical Workshop, and Songs, to mention but a few.
Tuition and Fees- The following are the fees for the kindergarten classes
Kindergarten - 2 to 6 Years Old
Details Amount (FCFA)
Registration for the 1st year (per year) 100 000
Re-enrollment (per year) 75 000
Education (per month) 150 000
Uniform Mandatory (per year) 100 000
Transportation is offered for 4 zones as follows:
Details 4 Zones
Monday to Friday Mermoz - VDN Fann - Pt E Yoff - Almadies Downtown
1 trip / day / month 35 000 40 000 45 000 50 000
2 trips / day / month 45 000 50 000 55 000 60 000
This is a co-educational day school for grades Pre-K through 12. The schools’ Academic Calendar begins in August and ends in June. The school enrolls students regardless of color, race, religion or creed, and nationality, with students from over 30 countries. It has a variety of campuses around the city of Dakar.
- Established: 1961
- address: 69 Rue des Pères Maristes, Dakar 10200, SENEGAL
- ages: 3-6
- grades: from pre-kindergarten 3
- student population: 260 (all grades)
- international representation: 30+ countries.
- Student-teacher ratio: 12:1
- Duration of study: 2-3years
- Primary Languages: English
- Terms : 3 terms
- Academic calendar: August to June
Accreditation: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and the Association of Christian Schools International ((ACSI).
Tuition and fees- the following are the fees to be paid by pre-kindegarten to kindergarten students here.
Fee detaills amount
Enrollemt $300/ per child
Development fee (once off) $3 000
Tech fee $50
Pre-kindergarten 3 and 4 half day full day
Three days 3 100 4 650
Five days 5 000 7 500
kIndergarten fees range $10 200- $15 300
Curriculum- the pre-kindergarten to kindergarten curriculum is offered in English. The Pre-Kindergarten program prepares students for kindergarten, both academically and socially. The pre-Kindergarten program runs weekday mornings, starting at the age of 3. Parents can choose either a 3-day or 5-day program based on their preferences.
all activities, be it in the classroom, at the playground, events, or on the athletic fields, students are encouraged to grow socially, emotionally, and spiritually. Responsibility, decisions, and their consequences are taught at an early stage and this helps students to become more independent problem-solvers and to make their own responsible decisions. Children are also allowed to participate in the various athletics programs so they can learn which sports they are good at and also for their health and well-being.
Extracurricular activities- students from the kindergarten stage are allowed to participate in a variety of team sports and individual sports. The sports codes offered gher include Basketball, Dodgeball, Handball, Soccer, Spikeball, Turkey Bowl, Volleyball, t mention but a few.
International School of Dakar
This is an American international, coeducational school in Dakar. The school offers education from pre-kindergarten to the 12th grade. Kindergarten education here is offered at the elementary section. Pre-primary education offered here starts from pre-kindergarten to kindergarten classes. There are two sections of Kindergarten ranging between 15 to 20 students per section. The school has a diverse, multi-cultural community that believes students can excel in many areas including academics, arts, sports, and service.
- Address: BP 5136, 10700 Dakar Fann, Senegal
- grades: pre-kindergarten to kindergarten
- Primary Languages: French
- Student population: 700+ (all grades)
- International student representation: 64+ countries.
- Academic staff: 80+
- Terms : 3 terms
- Academic year: mid-August to mid-June
Accreditation: Council of International Schools (CIS), and the Middle States Association (MSA)
Curriculum- the school uses an early year program and students take a variety of subjects including Art, Music, and Physical Education. Children are also offered an opportunity to explore and utilize various aspects of technology in all subject areas. They also take part in daily French lessons.
Facilities- the school offers a variety of facilities including state-of-the-art science and computer labs, air-conditioned classrooms, spacious art, and music rooms, an outdoor playground, a library, a sports field, playgrounds, a swimming pool, basketball courts, and a food service area.
Prospective students- the school has a rolling admissions policy. Parents are encouraged to submit all required application documents and payments as soon as they can. The following are some of the requirements if the student intends to enroll here;
- A Completed Online Application
- Complete immunization or health records
- A copy of my passport
- A copy of the birth certificate
- One passport-size photo
- Application fee of $100
Tuition and Fees
The following are the fees for the year 2021-2022.
Fee for new student $100
Re-enrollment Fee $35
Capital Development Fee
New students Kindergarten to Grade 12 $6 500
Returning students Grade Kindergarten $5 500
Preschool $14 650
Kindergarten to Grade 5 $21 590
Payment in CFA will be accepted, based upon an established exchange rate