L'enseignement catholique de Côte d'Ivoire

By Pierre Ablé Dago

Book Description

This scholarly work traces the remarkable journey of Catholic education in Côte d'Ivoire through seven decades of transformation and challenge. Pierre Ablé Dago examines how Catholic missionaries seized a pivotal opportunity when French colonial authorities reversed their hostile stance toward religious education in 1922.

The narrative begins with the reopening of mission schools after years of aggressive anti-clerical policies had forced their closure. Dago explores how Catholic educators navigated the complex landscape of colonial oversight while expanding their educational mission from elementary instruction to secondary schooling. The author documents this evolution through two distinct political eras: the colonial period from 1922 to 1960, and the post-independence years extending to 1992.

Throughout this extensive timeframe, Catholic educational institutions faced mounting difficulties that required careful assessment and strategic planning. The book culminates with the signing of a significant new convention between Catholic schools and the Ivorian state in April 1992, marking another crucial turning point in this educational tradition.

Drawing from historical records and institutional archives, this second volume in Dago's series on Catholic education in Côte d'Ivoire offers readers insight into how religious communities adapt their educational mission within changing political and social contexts. The work illuminates the persistence and evolution of faith-based education across colonial and post-colonial transitions.