Focus on Literacy Education in 2013

Going by the budget of the Ministry of Basic Education (MINEDUB) for 2013 presented and defended before the Finance and Budget Committee of the National Assembly on Sunday December 2 by Minister Youssouf nee Hadidja Alim, particular focus will be on literacy, non formal basic education and the promotion and protection of national languages. Of the FCFA 170.118 billion budget, FCFA 36.119 will be used to develop the programme.

This will consist in drafting the conceptual framework for the implementation of the programme, support to literacy activities in favour of people aged 15 years and more, capacity building for the teaching staff on the practice of national languages, development of an appropriate pedagogy for the teaching of national languages as well as the popularisation of the teaching of national languages in the formal system.

Talking to the press after her meeting with the Parliamentarians, Mrs Youssouf nee Hadidja Alim said there is also a FCFA 10.8 billion programme for the support of pre-school education. It aims at reinforcing reception facilities in existing government nursery schools so as to move from 64 per cent of classrooms in definite materials to 68.2 per cent by 2015. For 2013, most of the intervention, the Minister disclosed, will concern the construction of 33 nursery school blocks and 20 classrooms in government schools and the acquisition of 1,520 small tables, 6,080 chairs and 258 blackboards.

The ministry will also acquire civic and moral education materials as well as ensure cholera prevention and control in the school environment. Other programmes include the FCFA 98 million support to the development of community pre-school education and the FCFA 99.134 billion for the democratisation of primary cycle which, among others, will consist in constructing four Regional and five Divisional delegations, nine Sub-divisional inspectorates and 10 staff quarters, eight in priority areas of Lake Chad and Bakassi.