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Benin
>> Regional Overview >> Benin Overview Program Data Sheet
680-001
USAID MISSION: Benin
PROGRAM TITLE: Reforming Primary Education in Benin (Pillar: Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade)
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE AND NUMBER: More Children Receive a Quality Basic Education on an Equitable Basis, 680-001
STATUS: Continuing
PLANNED FY2002 OBLIGATION AND FUNDING SOURCE: $7,000,000 DA
PROPOSED FY2003 OBLIGATION AND FUNDING SOURCES: $7,000,000 DA
INITIAL OBLIGATION: FY 1996 ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: FY 2005
Summary: USAID assistance to the Benin primary education reform program includes:
- technical assistance and education commodities to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education in developing and printing new primary education curricula and instructive materials;
- promotion of girls' education;
- training primary school teachers to use the new curricula;
- technical and management assistance to parent associations for greater involvement in school management;
- technical assistance to improve Ministry of Education planning and management capacities;
- training of students and teachers to improve the sanitary environment of schools; and
- training and institutional support to decentralized local governments in the education sector.
Inputs, Outputs and Activities: FY 2002 Program: USAID will use FY2002 funds to help the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education carry out the reform of primary education through the development and introduction of new curricula for the fourth grade. Teachers will be trained to use new teaching strategies in accordance with the new curricula. Student textbooks will be produced and distributed for the fourth grade. Funds will also be used to: 1) promote girls' educational activities in areas where the enrollment rate is particularly low; 2) strengthen parent associations to take an active role in the management of school operations and administration; 3) improve the sanitary environment and student health practices in schools; and 4) provide technical school training to primary school dropouts.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education will continue to benefit from technical assistance and training to improve planning and management capacities. A new institutional contract will be established to assist the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education with this phase of the reform. P.L. 480 Title II resources will be used to assist schools in northern Benin in establishing and operating school feeding programs. To improve the local management of education services, USAID will finance training and institutional support to decentralized local governments.
Planned FY 2003 Program: USAID plans to use FY2003 requested resources to support the ongoing reform of primary education in Benin. Emphasis will be placed on training primary school teachers, producing and distributing teacher guides and student textbooks, and developing and introducing new curricula for the fifth grade. Other areas include promoting girls' education and facilitating sustainable involvement of parents in education issues at both local and national levels. USAID will work with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to achieve improvement in the management of resources that are made available to the education sector, as well as with local decentralized governments.
Performance and Results: The development of new curricula, textbooks and workbooks and the training of teachers in improved educational skills will improve the overall quality of primary education for students in Benin. Greater numbers of children are expected to successfully complete primary school as a result of improved educational approaches and teaching materials in the classroom and the increased availability of learning materials for students. At the same time, USAID supports alternative technical education for school dropouts and early school leavers.
Gross enrollment rate (GER) has increased to 89% (73% for girls) in 2001 compared with 57% in 1991 and 80% in 2000. Continued support to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and the involvement of parent associations in school management will help to achieve a gross school enrollment rate of 92% by 2005. Girls will have a higher enrollment and retention rate in school, especially as a result of special activities to encourage female enrollment.
Currently, primary school students in the first three grades are receiving improved school instruction and have access to textbooks and workbooks where in the past these materials were not available or multiple students had to share one textbook. Over 13,500 teachers have been trained in the new curricula and 340,000 mathematics and French textbooks have been produced, reducing the student textbook ratio from a national average of eight students per one textbook to two students per one textbook. Over 550,000 students in grades one through three have benefited from the reform to date. Approximately 1,200 parent associations are actively involved in school management activities. This includes developing and executing school budgets, finding resources to improve school equipment and infrastructure, and advocating school issues with education officials.
The reform program will be extended to successive grades over the next three years, one grade per year. It is expected that the objective of one textbook per two students will be met for all six primary school grades when the reform reaches grade six in 2005. In addition to the reform program, approximately 250,000 school children are expected to increase their knowledge of basic hygiene and health practices.
Nineteen schools benefited from the P.L. 480 Title II feeding program that trained parents to run a school canteen program. This program contributed to increasing enrollment and retaining children in school.
Principal Contractors, Grantees or Agencies: Key partners include World Education, Inc., Medical Care Development International, International Foundation for Education and Self-Help, U.S. Peace Corps, Catholic Relief Services, CARE International, World Learning, and the Songhai Center. Other partners are local non-governmental organizations and indigenous associations. USAID will select a new implementing agency for continued technical assistance for the primary education reform program.
US Financing in Thousands of Dollars
680-001 More children receive a quality basic education on an equitable basis CSD DA DFA Through September 30, 2000 Obligations 27,583 6,767 29,609 Expenditures 12,546 6,409 26,026 Unliquidated 15,037 358 3,583 Fiscal Year 2001 Obligations 5,720 0 0 Expenditures 10,270 112 3,493 Through September 30, 2001 Obligations 33,303 6,767 29,609 Expenditures 22,816 6,521 29,519 Unliquidated 10,487 246 90 Prior Year Unobligated Funds Obligations 0 0 0 Planned Fiscal Year 2002 NOA Obligations 0 7,000 0 Total Planned Fiscal Year 2002 Obligations 0 7,000 0 Proposed Fiscal Year 2003 NOA Obligations 0 7,000 0 Future Obligations 0 14,000 0 Est. Total Cost 33,303 34,767 29,60
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Last Updated on: May 29, 2002 |
