In 1963-64, 20 percent of the University's students were in the preuniversity year. The remaining 867 students taking university-level courses were distributed as follows, in descending order of percentage: Of the total 867, 43 percent were studying agriculture, engineering, medicine, and sciences; the remainder were in nonscientific programs. The tabulation below 5 shows the number of Congolese, non-Congolese Africans, and non-Africans enrolled in each faculty in October 1963. Data of this nature covering all students in 1963-64 are not available. 1 Excluding 44 students (42 Congolese and 2 non-Congolese Africans) in candidatures in philosophy and letters preparatory to law. Graduates, 1961-63.-From 1961 through 1963, the total number of students awarded diplomas after completing an undergraduate course of at least 4 years (called "first degrees" for the purposes of the present publication) was 91, of whom 59 were Congolese. The follow 'Figures from "Données complémentaires sur l'enseignement supérieur dans la République du Congo." Etudes Congolaises, No. 10, Decembre 1963. p. 10. This article used "data communicated by the university secretariat." ing tabulation shows how the overall and the Congolese figures rose during those 3 years: The 59 degrees awarded to Congolese break down by field as follows: Agriculture Engineering Law Medicine Pedagogy Philosophy and letters____. Field Political, economic, or commercial sciences__. Psychology Sciences 1 These 5 were Lovanium's first Congolese graduates in science. Number of degrees 3 3 14 7 6 3 13 1 15 4 As can be seen from this tabulation, of the total 59 Congolese, only 18 were graduated as agriculturists, engineers, medical doctors, or scientists. During the 3 years 1961 through 1963, 52 students (4 of them Congolese) earned special certificates or postgraduate awards. Three Congolese earned the agrégation de l'enseignement moyen du degré supérieur (higher secondary education teaching diploma) and one the certificate in tropical medicine. Diplomas and Certificates, 1958-63.-Table 11 shows that during 1958-63 Lovanium awarded a total of 228 diplomas and certificates, of which 134 were first-degree diplomas for an undergraduate program of at least 4 years, and 94 were "other awards" (special or postgraduate certificates). Of the 134 diplomas, 79 were earned by Congolese, 27 by non-Congolese Africans, and 28 by non-Africans. Of the 94 "other awards", Congolese won 13, non-Congolese Africans 6, and non-Africans 75. By field, the greatest number of "other awards" was made in the following fields: tropical medicine-47 (43 of them to non-Africans); higher secondary teaching-25 (20 of them to non-Africans). Future Prospects. In the absence of data showing simultaneously the distribution of the entire student body by (1) ethnic category (Congolese, non-Congolese African, and non-African), (2) individ Table 11.-Number of diplomas and certificates awarded at Lovanium University, by national origin of recipient: 1958-63 sible to state how many Congolese and non-Congolese could earn each of the different degrees or diplomas awarded by the university in each of several subsequent years. The limited enrollment data suggest that by 1967 Lovanium may graduate 75 Congolese as lawyers and 78 as medical doctors; and by 1968, 14 as agriculturists. Judging from the limited, presently available information on the number of students in each year of the university courses, a graduating class of any great size cannot be expected for several years yet. Moreover, the distribution of Congolese students by field raises a question as to whether Congolese graduates of the near future will be trained in areas most essential to the Congo. Courses and Related Activities After the Congo's independence the type and cost of instruction, measured in terms of the teaching staff-student ratio, evidently did not change as enrollments expanded. Through the first 4 postindependence academic years Lovanium's ratio of teaching staff to students remained at about 1 to 5. Moreover, with the exception of a few new degree courses described below, Lovanium continued to offer the same degree and preuniversity courses it had offered before independence. At least one change, though, has occurred in its offerings: they now include several new courses and activities outside and beyond the realm of traditional university-degree offerings. Also, English has attained new status, particularly in preuniversity courses (see p. 136). The courses and related activities in force at Lovanium after the Congo became independent are discussed below under six headings. 1. NEW COURSES AND ACTIVITIES Graduat Courses.-Joining in a wider effort in the Congo to train those Congolese who are unable to meet university-degree admission requirements for middle-level positions in several vocational fields, Lovanium started, at the university itself, several new diploma courses quite distinct from its traditional degree offerings. Leading to a diploma called the graduat, these new courses are 3-year terminal ones with a practical orientation (table B). The first graduat course, one in agriculture, evidently began in 1960-61; and three others-in commercial sciences, economic and social sciences, and pharmacy—started in 1961-62. In order to be admitted to a graduat course in 1961-62 an applicant had to • Hold a certificate of 6 years of postprimary studies. or • Hold a certificate of 4 years of postprimary studies obtained within the previous 2 years and pass an entrance examination to prove himself sufficiently mature to undertake university studies. or • Hold a ratified diploma of secondary studies (no entrance examination). An applicant holding the diploma of medical assistant could be admitted without examination to the pharmacy program. In 1962-63 the entrance level was raised to 6 years of secondary studies or the approximate equivalent (table B). 6 Originally thought of as university education, the graduat courses by the end of 1961-62 were described by the university administration as provisional and as not strictly university education. The adminis "La situation et les perspectives de l'enseignement supérieur a Léopoldville." Etudes Table B.-Number of years of study and admission requirements in the graduat programs at Lovanium University: 1962-63 Source of data: Lovanium University catalog for 1962-63. 1 During the first year of study students take the same subjects. 'A student applying for admission to the course in tropical agricultural sciences will be admitted to the first year without examination if he holds an agricultural diploma obtained after a secondary-studies cycle of at least 6 years. 206-185 O - 66 - 10 |