Founded by European and American missionaries, the Congolese education system still depends on missionary schools to offer a remarkable amount of public education. Although 6 years of primary education is officially compulsory, only 72 % of primary school-age children attended school in 1997. Attendance at secondary school has risen since freedom, but is still only 31 % of those of eligible age. The nation has four universities, two in Kinshasa and one each at Lubumbashi and Kisangani, and a number of teacher-training colleges and technical institutes.