Maeecha

In order to provide access to schooling for the most disadvantaged but also to involve the community in the management of the school, MAEECHA supports parents and school councils to subscribe to the educational policy carried by the Ministry of National Education, aiming at structuring public pre-elementary education with the involvement of the community and communes.

This support contributes to the achievement of goal 4 of sustainable development: “Ensure equal access to quality education for all and promote opportunities for lifelong learning”, in particular target 4.2: “By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development and care services and to pre-school education that prepares them for primary education”.

Therefore, MAEECHA has set up a range of actions to achieve this objective

• Regular sensitization of the community on the need to enrol children from the age of 4 years in nursery classes in order to promote access to education for all;
• Encouragement of parents and school principals to enrol children before the start of the school year, while respecting the ratio defined by the education authorities;
• Stimulation of parents to take the initiative in supporting nursery school teachers in the smooth running of classes.
• Commitment by parents to closely monitor their children’s education and to develop a real partnership of proximity with teachers, principals and school councils.
• Commitment by parents to pay regular contributions to enable the school to operate independently but also to pay the salaries of female teachers who are not integrated into the civil service.
• Organisation by the pedagogical service of regular initial and continuing training of instructors on classroom practice,
• Regular organization of close monitoring Thanks to these actions:
• The number of kindergarten classes has increased from 18 in 2017 to 28 classes in 2020…
• Kindergarten enrolments increased from 407 to 830 between 2014 and 2020.
• Gender parity for girls and boys has been stabilized at equal parity since 2015.
• Pupils move on to the first grade with significantly higher skills and achievements than other pupils who did not attend kindergarten.
• Nyumakele instructors are models in the eyes of their counterparts on the island, and are called upon to accompany training courses in the regions.
• Parents are more attentive, participate and get involved in the organisation of extra-curricular activities, especially school outings and end-of-year celebrations”.