Category Archives: Education

Student life in Abidjan under Ouattara

Since I wrote last week’s post listing Ivorian blogs, I realised that much of the recent blogging action has been on RFI’s Mondoblog platform, which I’d more or less neglected. I’ve since discovered that that does now seem to be the … Continue reading

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Growing up in Ivory Coast

As I start to think more about parenthood with a new-born on the way, I’m increasingly attuned to the contrast between raising kids in the West and in Ivory Coast. The latter has its attractions – for instance, finding babysitters … Continue reading

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Advice to my teenager daughter

We broke out the champagne recently for our teenager daughter who obtained her Ivorian baccalaureate. I’d already been thinking through what advice I could give a young high school graduate in Ivory Coast (or other young person), and this gives … Continue reading

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In praise of…iTunes in Africa

I was a very latecomer to iTunes, and I don’t doubt that there are other excellent non-Apple platforms that do just as good a job. What I want to talk about is not the technology but the life-enhancement. I’ve met … Continue reading

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Atomic umbrellas

The headline news in the papers yesterday was that the higher education minister has announced plans to abolish the ‘atomic umbrella’. What, I asked a friend of mine who has just finished public university, is a ‘parapluie atomique’? Apparently, in … Continue reading

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Hey D’jo, Carpe Diem

I was just at a meeting with the minister of planning and development, Mabri Toikeusse, who set out the objectives of the government, which include having a “performing educational sector that prioritises an enterprise culture and a spirit of excellence”. Last … Continue reading

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The francophone mindset; hindrance to development in Africa?

Hotel Ivory makes a compelling case for being positive about Ivory Coast’s economic future, post-crisis. But there’s also a good deal of negative discussion of French-speaking Africa around at the moment (see this World Economic Form video); some blame poor economic … Continue reading

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