COSYDEP (Coalition des Organisations en SYnergie pour la Défense de l’Education Publique), with the support of GI-ESCR and OSIWA (Open Society Initiative for West Africa), conducted a piece of research on the impact of privatisation and commercialisation of education in Senegal in light of the Abidjan Principles on the right to education. The research report was launched on 5 October 2021 during an event called “journée de restitution” which gathered over 50 participants in Dakar, Senegal. In this event held in a hybrid format, COSYDEP presented the findings of the report and its recommendations to the participants, who also shared their points of view aiming at enriching the report which was still open to inputs. GI-ESCR contributed to the launching ceremony by presenting the Abidjan Principles and highlighting their relevance to the report and its findings.

Photos by COSYDEP

The research, which is based on secondary and primary data, respectively obtained through literature review and field research in 5 regions, shows how education policies in Senegal have fostered private delivery of education, and how the State does not fully comply with its international human rights obligation to provide free, public, quality and acessible education for all.

Some of the findings of the report are as follows:

• Insufficient public schools: 74% of parents who were interviewed indicated that they are compelled to send their children to private schools due to the deterioration of teaching conditions in public schools and/or the absence of public elementary schools in some localities.

• Poor regulation:

  There is no mechanism to regulate the fees in private schools, and this amplifies socio-economic inequalities

• Inequalities and discrimination: school fees vary from one private school to another. This implies that the quality of education provided varies as well, and such situation is detrimental to inclusion and equality. It leads to socio-economic segregation among families.

GI-ESCR welcomes the research report which contributes to bridging the knowledge gap on the issue of privatisation and commercialisation of education in francophone Africa.

In the news:

http://aps.sn/actualites/societe/education/article/enseignement-prive-un-rapport-fait-etat-d-un-accroissement-de-plus-en-plus-rapide-dans-l-elementaire

https://lequotidien.sn/education-qualite-de-loffre-dans-lecole-elementaire-la-cosydep-denonce-une-privatisation-rampante/

https://www.nettali.com/2021/10/05/ecoles-privees-une-etude-de-la-cosydep-liste-les-carences/

https://www.seneweb.com/news/Education/primaire-moyen-et-secondaire-5-des-ecole_n_360448.html