Education
We are working to ensure equitable access to quality education for every Central African child.
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Challenges
Almost 837,000 children aged 3-17 continue to have humanitarian needs in the education sector (Sustainable Development Goal 4). Of these, 51 per cent are girls and 15 per cent are disabled. The expected duration of schooling is 5.3 years for boys and 3.8 years for girls. Only 27 per cent of children complete primary education and 12 per cent secondary education, with girls being the most disadvantaged.
The quality of teaching and learning remains low, with a key factor being that very few teachers are formally qualified. The percentage of children who reach the sufficient skills threshold at the end of primary school is 5 per cent for mathematics and 14 per cent for reading.
Solutions
Access to education
As a contributor to the Central African government's commitment to education, UNICEF helps the most vulnerable children to continue their education. Community dialogue around schools has helped to improve school retention, especially with the creation of ‘Kundukua’ platforms.
In coordination with the Ministry of Education, and with the support of its donors (Education Cannot Wait, European Union, Germany, etc.), UNICEF manages numerous projects to build, rehabilitate and equip classrooms to improve the learning environment and the intake capacity of several schools in CAR.
Quality education
To help improve teaching and learning, UNICEF supports capacity-building for teachers and the implementation of remedial mechanisms. Teaching aids and learning materials are provided to schools, with priority given to those in the most vulnerable areas.
UNICEF works with the government and other technical and financial partners to put in place a national mechanism for regular monitoring and evaluation of learning achievements, the aim being to identify the difficulties at the root of underperformance and to remedy them.
Education in emergency situations
UNICEF supports schools in sites for displaced persons and refugees, and - with the CER Fund from OCHA - is committed to rehabilitating schools that are most in need.
The structure of the programme includes an alert response component to deal with emergency situations.
Inclusive education
UNICEF works with the Ministry of Education to ensure the transition of girls from primary to secondary school. In partnership with the Central African Women’s Association (OFCA), educational talks are being organized in many communities to avert the trend of girls dropping out of school.
Together with UNICEF and Handicap International, the Ministry has conducted a study on children with disabilities, which has identified the barriers to their enrolment in school. Focused interventions are underway in three prefectures, and for the first time an education centre for blind children has been opened in Bambari.