Establishment of Regulatory Framework for Public-Private Partnerships in the Field of Basic Education in Senegal

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The USAID / Basic Education, project (USAID/EDB) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Preschool, Elementary, Middle and Secondary School and National Languages held "a national roundtable on public-private partnership in basic education" on Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at the Hotel Terrou –bi in Dakar.

During the roundtable that brought together Education Minister Kalidou Diallo, USAID/Senegal Mission Director Kevin Mullally, the educational community, several business leaders and others in the public and private sectors, USAID/EDB introduced a study funded by the project that included an inventory of public-private partnership in basic education and a proposed regulatory framework.

In the presence of corporate sponsors and other private sector actors, the workshop facilitated a spirited discussion regarding the proposed regulatory framework, as well as the creation of a permanent foundation.

The stakes are high because despite the performances recorded during the last decade, the Senegalese educational system needs a more sustained dynamic partnership to meet the requirements of a quality education for all by 2015.

USAID / EDB also informed the assembly of the successes achieved by the public-private partnership component of the project: 306 million FCFA (or more than $650,000) in contributions, including several in-kind contributions such as equipment depreciation, software, computer services, school supplies, communications support, donations of food, and 5,000 student visits to 40 enterprises in 10 regions of Senegal.

Contributions and support also include more than 20 partnership agreements signed with USAID/EDB. During the workshop, ECOBANK, SODEFITEX and FIRST SPACE FIBER were the latest to sign Memorandums of Understanding demonstrating their commitment to providing quality education to children in Senegal.