Better learning in Côte d’Ivoire
Since 2018, GPE has granted US$52.1 million to finance the Educational Services Improvement Project (PAPSE in French), implemented by the Ministry of Education and Literacy with the support of the World Bank.
The project covers six of the most disadvantaged regions of the country (Bagoué, Béré, Bounkani, Kabadougou, Poro and Tchologo) where the enrollment rates and the primary school completion rates are the lowest and the poverty level is the highest.
The project, which directly addresses the objectives of the country’s Education Sector Plan for the 2016–2025 period, aims to improve student learning through several interventions:
• Increase the number of young children who have access to preschool
• Get out-of-school children back to school
• Train primary school teachers to use new teaching methods to improve learning in reading and math
• Increase citizen participation by creating school management committees (COGES) in each school.
Increasing the number of preprimary classrooms
In Côte d’Ivoire, only 10% of children between the ages of 3 and 5 were enrolled in preschool in 2015–2016, and in rural areas, only 5%. Since 2018, the project has financed the creation of 117 community preprimary classes. This model relies on the strong commitment of communities who provide a space, choose a teacher, and pay their salary with the support of a grant from the State. 134 preprimary classrooms have also been built in public primary schools. This new and expanded preschool offering makes it possible to welcome 30,000 young children and prepare them to better learn when they reach primary school.
Get out-of-school children back to school
Over 2 million Ivorian children do not go to school, most of them because they were never enrolled in the education system and others because they left school early. “Bridge classes” enable children aged 9 to 14 to go through an accelerated learning program to bring them up to grade level so they can enroll in a public primary school. Since the project started, 100 classes have been established, making it possible for over 4,700 students to go to school.
Teaching reading and math better
To improve students’ reading, writing and math levels, the project provided new reading and math textbooks to students; newteaching guides and assessment tools for teachers in the first three grades; and observation checklists for school inspectors. Teachers have also been trained to use the new teaching tools and methods. The impact of the project is already evident, withlearning results in the supported schools trending upward since 2020, both in mathematics and in reading. An increasing number of students are reaching the minimum proficiency levels. This is even more remarkable since the 2020–2021 school year was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Involving communities in school management
New management committees in the 375 schools targeted by the project ensure that schools function properly and that students receive a quality education. The committees received training as well as grants based on the school’s needs to carry out improvement activities. School dashboards enable close and direct monitoring by the communities. This system promotes teacher attendance, improves the school environment and enables direct feedback to the central education system on school performance.
Expanding the program across the country
In view of the positive results obtained by PAPSE, the program is being scaled up across the entire country. The government’s effort, with an investment of more than $265 million, is matched by a joint program put in place in late 2022, which combines a $15 million GPE Multiplier grant and a $350 million credit by the World Bank.
00:00 - 0:2:08 - CR Video
02:09 – 02:13 - INTV - Grade 5 student, 12-year-old Kady Traore
02:13 – 02:16 - Broll - Kady and friend walking to school
02:16 – 02:21 - Broll - Kady concentrating during a lesson
02:22 – 00:29 - INTV - Safiatou Traore, Kady’s Mother
00:22 – 03:15 – Broll - Educational Services Improvement Project
03:15 – 03:28 – INTV - Foussiata Coulibaly, teacher of the Trypoungo Bridge Class
03:28 – 03:39 – Broll - Educational Services Improvement Project
03:39 – 03:42 – INTV - Grate 2 teacher Souleymane Konate, Nambirghékaha
03:42 – 03:54 – Broll - Educational Services Improvement Project
03:54 – 04:04 – INTV - President of school management committee Foligolo Yéo, Nambirghékaha
04:04 – 04:13 – Broll - Educational Services Improvement Project
Grade 5 student, 12-year-old Kady Traoré
02:08 - When I get to school, I greet my friends and go to class. I take my textbook and read before the teacher arrives.
Safiatou Traoré, Kady’s Mother
02:20 - If she goes to school, she’ll make a living, she’ll help me. She works hard at school.
Foussiata Coulibaly, Teacher, Trypoungo Bridge Class
03:14 - The children are 9 to 14 years old. Before, they would go to the fields. Thanks to the project, we brought them to school. We will train them and then send them to public school.
Souleymane Konate, Grade 2 Teacher, Nambirghékaha
03:38 - When children manipulate objects, they learn better.
Foligolo Yéo, President of school management committee, Nambirghékaha
03:53 - If there are things to do at school, I inform all the parents and we work together.
8 September 2022
