Madagascar receives $100 Million to improve learning in basic education

The World Bank Group and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE)* approved a grant totalling $100 million to improve learning outcomes within the first two sub-cycles of basic education in Madagascar.

This funding, the highest received so far to support education in Madagascar, consists of a $55 million grant by the World Bank’s International Development Association and a $45.7 million grant by the GPE. It will support the implementation of reforms outlined in the country’s Sectoral Education Plan (2018-2022).

“Madagascar’s National Development Plan is prioritizing social expenditures such as education, health, social welfare, water, and sanitation. This financing is critical to strengthening the education system and expanding the vocational skills required to build human capital in the country. The Malagasy government commits to ensuring that all the conditions are in place to successfully implement this plan,” declared Vonintsalama Sehenosoa ANDRIAMBOLOLONA, Minister of Finance and Budget.

In Madagascar, four out of ten children in primary school drop out before reaching the last grade. The repetition rate for the first year of school is among the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa. About 80% of the teachers, that is 80,000 teachers, have no formal teacher training. The 2016 Service Delivery Indicators (SDI) survey has also highlighted that public primary school teachers lack pedagogical competencies.

The joint World Bank/GPE funding aims to improve student learning in the first two years of primary education in public schools. The objective is to increase the number of words correctly read from 24 to 35 per minute and reduce the repetition rate (of the first two grades) to no more than 12% of students per year. Teacher training will also be strengthened, with a focus on teaching reading and math competency. The project will also seek to improve attendance, reduce the dropout rate, and better prepare children for school.

In addition, 1,000 early learning centres are planned to be established in partnership with local communities, along with the construction of 800 furnished classrooms complete with restrooms and running water.

Moreover, the project will seek to improve the management of public schools through an equitable national school grant system and professionalizing the capacities of school principals. If the results in participating schools, school districts (CISCO), and regional education authorities (DREN) are attained, the project will provide an additional $29 million.

“A GPE partner since 2005, Madagascar has shown a strong commitment to delivering quality education to more of its children,” notes Alice Albright, Chief Executive Officer of the Global Partnership for Education. “Its work on education is essential to the country’s nation-building mission.”

The project has an ambitious target of reaching more than 4.7 million beneficiaries. It plans to enroll 4,6 million children in primary school and 80,000 children in supported early learning centres, as well as train 35,000 primary school teachers, 6,500 preschool community educators, 4,000 community school-board members, and 20,000 school directors and local supervisors.

“The World Bank Group’s Country Partnership Framework (CPF) with the Republic of Madagascar aims to strengthen children’s human development as its first objective. In order to have inclusive and sustainable growth, we must first and foremost ensure that people have a good start in life from an early age,” says Coralie Gevers, World Bank Country Manager for Madagascar.

Original source: World Bank
Published on 29 March 2018