Girl students attentively follow the lesson in a classroom in Mali. Credit: World Bank/Ollivier Girard

Partner since:

Total grant support: US$110,259,843

Grant eligibility:

  • Multiplier
  • Multiplier and Girls' Education Accelerator
  • System capacity
  • System transformation

Education sector plan

Objective: Have a well-functioning, inclusive education system preparing citizens for productive contributions to the socio-economic development of the country by 2028.

Other key documents

Coordinating agency: UNICEF

GPE Team lead: Adria Rakotoarivony

Transforming education in Mali

Mali has been facing a security crisis for several years now, which has severely compromised access to education for thousands of school-age children, particularly in the north.

Threats against schools and destruction of school infrastructure and equipment led to a shortage of teachers in affected areas and a breakdown in the pedagogical support system due to massive population displacements.

There has also been a severe financial crisis for families in affected zones, making it difficult to send children to schools in Mali.

The government gave the instruction to unconditionally accommodate displaced students in the South, leading to an overcrowding, affecting the quality of education.

While the education sector in Mali has made significant progress towards extending basic education opportunities for all, it’s still facing many challenges:

  • The primary completion rate and gender parity index are low, with a high gender gap especially in secondary.
  • The quality of education still needs to be enhanced.
  • Repetition and dropout rates are high.

The vision of the 2019-2028 Education sector plan (Programme Décennal de Développement de l’Éducation et de la Formation Professionnelle Deuxième Génération) is that, by 2028, the country will have a well-functioning, inclusive education system that will prepare citizens for productive, patriotic, and creative contributions to the socio-economic development of their country.

The sector plan is complemented by the 2020 Humanitarian Response Plan, which features a brief section on humanitarian education aid, targeting out-of-school internally displaced populations.

The education component of the country’s emergency intervention strategy aims to:

  • Provide a quality education to children who are out-of-school.
  • Promote equitable access to education in a protective environment.
  • Strengthen education system resilience.

Result story

Regional workshop to establish education priorities for the Central African Republic, Guinea and Mali

Education representatives from the 3 countries share their thoughts following a workshop to foster a common understanding of GPE processes and to help define priority reforms.

Grants

(data as of March 18, 2024)

 
  • Type: Program implementation

    Years: 2021 - 2027

    Allocation: US$45,700,000

    Utilization: US$20,091,025

    Grant agent: WB

  • Type: Accelerated funding

    Years: 2021 - 2024

    Allocation: US$9,140,000

    Utilization: US$8,599,730

    Grant agent: WB

Civil society engagement

As part of its investment in civil society advocacy and social accountability efforts, GPE’s Education Out Loud fund is supporting the Civil society partnership for advocacy for non-formal education led by Groupe de Recherche et d'Action pour le Développement (GRADE) for the 2021-2024 period.

Mali also previously received support from the Civil Society Education Fund (CSEF).

Learn more

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