USAID/Basic Education Program (USAID/EDB)

The $40 million Basic Education program is focused on improving the quality and access to middle school education, as well as promoting good governance. The five-year-project (2008-2013), which targets ten regions throughout the country, will address critical issues such as ensuring that vulnerable children or talibés (children enrolled in Muslim schools who beg for money) have the access and the means to receive a basic education. At the end of five years, approximately 50,000 talibés and other vulnerable children are expected to have participated in the program. Additionally, the program will implement a curriculum to instill the values of ethics, transparency and citizenship in the youth population and will also work to improve the management and governance of education at local levels through Parent-Teacher Associations. Finally, the program will promote public-private partnerships in education and will provide access to wireless Internet in over 400 schools, courtesy of the Microsoft Corporation.

USAID/Basic Education Program (USAID/EDB) Project at a Glance

Dates of Project:	2008-2013
Project Budget:	US$ 40,000,000
Objective:	The program’s overall objective is to contribute to poverty reduction and to sustainable local development, by increasing the income of rural producers and of local communities through the empowerment of local authorities and the promotion of integrated, decentralized, participatory resource management.
Regions in Senegal:	Vulnerable Children: Dakar, Louga, Matam, St. Louis Quality Education: Fatick, Ziguinchor, Kolda, Tambacounda, Kédougou, Sédhiou
Partners:	Ministry of Education, Direction de l’Enseignement Moyen et General (DEMG), Inspection des Daaras (Association of Koranic Teachers), Ministry of Family Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of ICT and Communication, Parents’ Association and Federations (APE), civil society, Microsoft, Sonatel Foundation
Planned Results :	1. Access for vulnerable children to a quality basic education. 2. Improved middle school curriculum 3. Increased involvement and government support for education with the participation of Parent-Teacher Associations 4. Increased access to wireless Internet services for teachers and students 5. Strengthened contribution of the private sector in education