Children typically attend early childhood education (Educación Infantil) from approximately 1 to 3 years of age, preschool education (Educación Parvularia) or Preescolar from approximately 4 to 6, six grades of primary education (Primaria) from approximately 7 to 12, four grades of basic secondary education (Educación Secundaria Básica (ESBA)) from approximately 13 to 16, and then two years of upper-secondary education (Bachillerato). After completing Primaria and passing an examination, the education pathway leads to ESBA. After Bachillerato and the university entrance examination (Selectividad), it may be possible to enter tertiary education; vocational technical training (Formación Técnica Profesional) or occupational training (Formación Ocupacional) provides a separate transition after ESBA and is not part of the school sector itself. Primaria ends with the Certificate of Primary Studies (Certificado de Estudios Primarios). Certificates are issued for ESBA and Bachillerato. Bachillerato includes, among others, the Humanities (Humanidades), Technology (Tecnología) and Arts (Artes) tracks, although provision and quality are not uniform across schools and regions. In 2023, the Ministry suspended the Bachillerato cycle in 30 centres in Malabo and Bata because of weak results. The Ministry of Education, Science, Professional Education and Sports (Ministerio de Educación, Ciencias, Enseñanza Profesional y Deportes), central and regional education authorities, and technical inspectors (inspectores técnicos) supervise the system. Registration takes place directly with an authorised school. Private schools must display their authorisation visibly; current nationwide uniform documents, deadlines and capacity rules are not reliably documented centrally and should therefore be checked with the competent education authority or the school. The Constitution guarantees education and describes Primaria as free and compulsory. Ley 5/2007 also identifies Preescolar and Primaria as free and compulsory. Foreign residents are entitled to Preescolar and Primaria. Parents and guardians must ensure school attendance; students and teachers must participate in the school and comply with its rules. Public compulsory levels are legally free of tuition fees, while private schools may charge an enrollment fee (matrícula) and other fees. Under the concert regime, agreed enrollment fees may not be exceeded; additional costs and the services included must be clarified locally. The national calendar provides for at least 200 teaching days per year. For 2026/27, the Ministry had a plan, but specific current dates were not reliably documented. According to official figures for 2018/19, there were 936 primary schools, of which 60.5 percent were public and 39.5 percent private. In secondary education, 232 schools were recorded, of which 20.3 percent were public and 79.7 percent private; other official summaries report approximately two thirds private students in Primaria and Secundaria. The figures therefore rely on different statistical bases. Special-education provision remains fragmented. A 2023/24 pilot involved three specific classes in three public centres in Malabo; approximately 30 teachers for Bata and Malabo were trained. A uniform nationwide rule for placement and support has not been documented. Distance, costs and social barriers may further restrict access. Since 2025, there has also been a National School Health Programme (Programa Nacional de Salud Escolar) of the health and education ministries; a pilot providing vitamin A was conducted in Litoral.
School in Equatorial Guinea
The school system in Equatorial Guinea comprises early childhood education, preschool education or Preescolar, six years of primary education, four years of basic secondary education and two years of upper-secondary education. Spanish is the predominant language of instruction. Primary education is legally free and compulsory; public and private schools differ in access, fees and regional availability.
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