Cours Sainte Marie de Hann

A Marist Mission in Postwar Senegal

In November 1948, the Marist Brothers responded to a growing need for quality Catholic secondary education in Dakar by opening Cours Sainte-Marie de Hann on Route des Pères Maristes. The school began modestly — with just two Sixième (Year 7 equivalent) and one Cinquième (Year 8 equivalent) classes — but the founders' ambition was clear from the outset: to build an institution open to students of all nationalities and social backgrounds, rooted in Christian values and academic rigour.

Decades of Growth

Over the following decades, CSMH expanded its programmes and physical campus steadily. The Senegalese national curriculum formed the core, but the school's Catholic Marist identity attracted French expatriate families and international diplomats stationed in Dakar, leading to the introduction of French Baccalauréat preparation alongside the Senegalese Brevet and Baccalauréat.

UNESCO Recognition (1991)

A landmark moment in the school's history came in 1991 when CSMH received UNESCO's Peace Education Prize. This award recognised the school's educational project for its integration of intercultural and peace-building themes into everyday school life — a model, according to the school, that has since been studied by schools around the world.

IB Authorisation (2020)

In 2020, CSMH received authorisation from the International Baccalaureate Organisation to offer the IB Diploma Programme, joining a global network of IB World Schools. This addition confirmed the school's evolution from a regional Catholic secondary school into a fully internationalised institution offering three distinct tracks: the Senegalese national curriculum, the French Baccalauréat, and the IBDP.

Today

With approximately 5,000 students and over 200 teachers, CSMH is today one of the largest and most diverse schools in West Africa, drawing students from more than 50 nationalities and maintaining dual recognition from the Senegalese Ministry of Education and the French Ministry of Education (AEFE).

The UNESCO Peace Education Prize (1991)

In 1991, Cours Sainte-Marie de Hann was awarded UNESCO's Peace Education Prize — a global recognition that placed the school among an elite group of educational institutions worldwide. The prize recognised CSMH's educational project for its systematic integration of intercultural dialogue, conflict resolution, and peace-building values into the fabric of school life.

According to the school's own account, this model has since been studied and referenced by schools across the world. The prize remains a point of institutional pride and a guiding reference for the school's educational philosophy.

Over 75 Years of Marist Education

Founded in 1948, CSMH is one of the oldest private international schools in West Africa. Its seven-decade history under Marist stewardship has produced a deep institutional culture — one that combines academic ambition with pastoral care, community service, and a commitment to the common good.

The Marist Brothers are known globally for their emphasis on educating young people who are disadvantaged or on the margins of society, and while CSMH today serves a largely middle-class and international population, this founding spirit of inclusiveness and service remains part of its identity.

Scale and Stability

With 5,000 students and more than 200 staff, CSMH operates at a scale that would make it notable anywhere in the world. In Dakar — a city of approximately 3.9 million people and the political and economic capital of Senegal — CSMH occupies a unique position as the largest and most established international Catholic school.

A Reference Point for West African International Education

For families relocating to Dakar — whether with the French government, international NGOs, multinational corporations, or diplomatic postings — CSMH is typically the first school considered. Its combination of French curriculum recognition, IB authorisation, bilingual instruction, and Catholic values fills a niche that no other institution in Senegal fully replicates.

A Genuinely International Community

Cours Sainte-Marie de Hann is home to approximately 5,000 students representing more than 50 nationalities. This extraordinary diversity — rare even by global international school standards — is a product of Dakar's position as a major diplomatic, commercial, and cultural hub in West Africa, combined with CSMH's own long-standing reputation for quality.

Who Attends CSMH?

The school attracts a wide range of families:

• Local Senegalese families seeking premium bilingual education for their children.
• French expatriate families affiliated with French government, business, or NGO postings in Dakar.
• Diplomatic families from across Africa and beyond, drawn to a school that can accommodate their children's internationally mobile lives.
• International families from across the world who choose CSMH for its IB Diploma Programme and multicultural environment.

The school's founders articulated a wish that CSMH would be open to all, regardless of nationality or social background — a vision that remains visible in the school's demographic reality today.

Community Life and Intercultural Exchange

With students from over 50 countries sharing classrooms, sports fields, and school events, everyday life at CSMH is itself a form of intercultural education. The school's 1991 UNESCO Peace Education Prize is a testament to how deliberately the institution cultivates this spirit of dialogue and mutual respect.

Teaching Staff

With approximately 200 teachers serving a student body of 5,000, the staff-to-student ratio is approximately 1:25. While this is higher than typical international schools in Asia or Europe, the school's scale and the depth of its programme offering across three curriculum tracks reflects significant institutional capacity.

A Triple-Track Academic Model

One of CSMH's most distinctive features is the coexistence of three fully developed curriculum tracks under one roof:

1. Senegalese National Curriculum

Aligned with the Senegalese Ministry of Education, this track prepares students for the Brevet de Fin d'Études Moyennes (BFEM) at the end of lower secondary and the Baccalauréat sénégalais at the end of upper secondary. It is primarily taught in French and follows the national academic calendar and examination schedule.

2. French Baccalauréat

CSMH holds recognition from the Agence pour l'Enseignement Français à l'Étranger (AEFE), placing it within the French education network abroad. This track prepares students for the French Baccalauréat, which is recognised worldwide for university admission. The curriculum reflects French Ministry of Education standards.

3. IB Diploma Programme

Authorised in 2020 by the International Baccalaureate Organisation, the IBDP at CSMH adds a truly international university pathway. Head of School Mr André SONKO oversees a programme that enables students to apply to universities globally, particularly those in the UK, North America, and beyond. The IB school code is 061414.

Language of Instruction

French is the dominant language of instruction, but English plays a significant role — particularly in the IB track and in English-language courses across all levels. The school's bicultural mission means that students graduate with meaningful proficiency in both languages.

Academic Recognition

The dual validation by the Senegalese and French ministries, combined with IB World School status, gives CSMH a level of academic credentialing that is unusual in West Africa and makes it highly attractive to internationally mobile families.

The Marist Foundation

At the heart of Cours Sainte-Marie de Hann's philosophy is the tradition of the Society of Mary (Marist Brothers), whose pedagogical approach centres on educating the whole person — intellectually, morally, and spiritually. The school's founders envisioned an institution that would not merely transmit knowledge but cultivate character, solidarity, and a sense of responsibility towards others.

Bicultural and Bilingual Education

CSMH describes itself as a biculturel institution — a school where two cultures, the Senegalese and the French-international, coexist and enrich each other. French is the primary language of instruction, reflecting the school's deep roots in the French educational tradition and its AEFE recognition. English is the secondary language of instruction and is taught at all levels, with IB Diploma students able to pursue coursework in both languages.

This bilingual orientation is not merely pragmatic. The school frames language learning as a pathway to intercultural understanding — a core theme that earned it the UNESCO Peace Education Prize in 1991.

Academic Excellence Across Three Tracks

The school's commitment to academic rigour is expressed through three distinct programme tracks:

1. Senegalese National Curriculum — aligned with the national Brevet and Baccalauréat examinations.
2. French Baccalauréat — recognised by the French Ministry of Education and delivered under AEFE standards.
3. IB Diploma Programme — authorised in 2020, offering international university pathways.

This multi-track approach allows CSMH to serve a highly diverse student population — from local Senegalese families to French expatriates, African diplomats, and internationally mobile families from over 50 countries.

Peace Education as a Living Value

The UNESCO Peace Education Prize, awarded in 1991, reflects a philosophy that goes beyond academic outcomes. CSMH integrates themes of dialogue, conflict resolution, and global citizenship into its curriculum and school life — a dimension that distinguishes it from purely academically-oriented international schools.