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Alternative education programme for young people

 The project proposes a quality basic alternative education, acting as a lever on the non-formal educational system, enabling out-of-school and dropout boys and girls aged 9 to 14 to acquire the necessary basic skills to integrate into social and economic life.
invalid
Dosso, Niger
13.047203
3.201827
invalid
Maradi, Niger
13.501292
7.107700
Niger
Project duration
2019 - 2028
a project of

Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC

Partners: Enfants du Monde

In Niger, the educational system is characterized by limited access to education, very low retention and completion rates, and extremely low internal efficiency, with 72% of primary school students scoring below the minimum threshold in French at the end of the primary cycle. 

In 2013, while Niger had more than 1,500,000 young people (aged 14-18) in the labor market without any professional qualifications, over 2,160,000 young people aged 9-14 were out of school and without any educational alternative.

The first phase of the Alternative Education Program for Youth developed a quality basic alternative education offer to enable out-of-school and dropout boys and girls aged 9 to 14 to acquire the necessary basic skills to integrate into social and economic life.

The project

Through this Alternative Education Program for Youth, Swisscontact, in consortium with Enfants du Monde, aims to construct a quality alternative education adapted to the rural environment, allowing young people aged 9 to 14 to acquire the necessary basic skills for transitioning to vocational training or entering the workforce.

The project has gone through two significant phases, with actors at various levels (central, regional, communal, and village) working to sustainably integrate the Youth Alternative Education Centers (CCEAJ) into the Nigerien educational landscape. The second phase strengthened the non-formal education offer through stakeholder engagement, training a core group of qualified trainers, improving teachers' skills, and stabilizing pedagogical manuals, enabling the extension of the CCEAJ. 

One of the program's strengths is the establishment of strong local governance, allowing actors to own and manage the system themselves. The Ministry of Education is committed to modeling, institutionalizing, and scaling up the system in the coming years.

Integrated into formal public schools, the CCEAJ welcome out-of-school and dropout youths aged 9 to 14, offering them a basic education of variable duration, from one to three years. The CCEAJ provide bilingual education in multi-level classes, grouping three entry profiles. The young people receive basic training essential for preparing for vocational training, acquiring fundamental skills in reading, writing, and arithmetic necessary for any learning.

Training Program of the CCEAJ

  • A bridge to general education for 5% of the youth.
  • Orientation towards vocational training offers facilitating integration into active life for 95% of the youth.

Results

Between 2015 and 2023:

  • 315 operational community centers in 16 municipalities, including 100 new centers in nomadic and refugee areas.
  • 362 teachers, 315 directors, and 76 supervisors trained in the CCEAJ pedagogy and follow-up.
  • 23,408 CCEAJ graduates (42% girls) and 8,608 current trainees (55% girls).

Expected results between 2024 and 2027:

  • 40 new centers, including 20 supported by the project and 20 opened with state funding.
  • 420 teachers (including replacements) trained in CCEAJ pedagogy.
  • 21,300 new out-of-school or unregistered youths in CCEAJ training.
  • A management and financing manual produced and used by stakeholders.

Downloads

Brochure – Les Centres Communautaires d’Éducation Alternative des Jeunes
13 MB
Leaflet: Les centres communautaires d’éducation alternative des jeunes (CCEAJ)
5 MB

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