Free access to education is guaranteed by the Surinamese constitution. Tuition is minimal at all levels. About half the schools are public; the rest are religious, most of them Protestant and Roman Catholic, which also receive government funding. The education system comprises preschool, primary, junior secondary, senior secondary, and tertiary schooling. The country has about 400 primary schools and 5 high schools. The University of Suriname has faculties of law, medicine, social science and economics, engineering, and natural resources. Three technical schools and five teacher-training colleges also exist. Although many Surinamese speak only Hindi or Javanese at home, Dutch was used in school until 1980, when this rule was relaxed, but most of the textbooks and other reading materials are still written in Dutch. The school year begins October 1 and ends in mid-August. It is divided into 3 terms, one 14 weeks long, another 13 weeks, and a third 12 weeks. The school day runs from 7:00 or 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
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