National Forum on the acceleration of girls' education in Benin: Happy prospects for a high rate of girls' schooling

The Vice-President of the Republic of Benin, Mrs. Mariam CHABI TALATA, opened the National Forum for the Acceleration of Girls' Education in Benin on Thursday, March 10, 2022 in Cotonou. During two days, in hybrid mode, all the actors of education at the highest level will have to reflect, search and bring the most suitable solutions to accelerate girls' education in Benin, this in connection with the orientations of the Government which decided to make education in general and girls' education in particular, one of the important levers for the socio-economic transformation of the country.

According to the president of the organizing committee, Mr. Dèwanou AVODAGBE, Director of Cabinet of the Minister of Maternal and Primary Education, this Forum responds to a recommendation of the 2021 education sector review which aims at strengthening the mobilization and commitment of education actors in Benin in favor of girls' education. It focuses on four themes General situation of girls' education in Benin; Why girls' education; Specific obstacles to girls' education; and Experienced solutions.

The holding of these meetings which alternate plenary sessions, panel discussions and group work, was strongly welcomed by Mr Salvator NIYONZIMA, Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System in Benin, leader of the PTFs. Seizing this opportunity, he thanked the Government for its efforts and reaffirmed the commitment of the TFPs to always work for the acceleration of girls' education in Benin.

In the implementation of the PAG 2016-2021, commendable efforts have been made by the Government to make educational services accessible to all. Several incentive measures have been taken. However, it is also important to note the unrestrained fight initiated by the Government against sexual harassment and violence against women in order to clean up the stable in favor of the emergence of a particularly favorable context for girls. The conjunction of all these efforts has led to the improvement of the access and retention rate of both girls and boys at the different levels, said Minister Salimane KARIMOU.

"In view of the advantages that girls' education generates for themselves, their families, their communities, their nation and for the world, the Government with the support of TFPs, will continue to work tirelessly so that the promotion of girls' education becomes a reality in Benin. In order to win the national development challenge, it is necessary to give back to women their rightful place in society, by guaranteeing them all the attributes for their development. This is what justifies the holding of this National Forum", added the Minister.

From the presentation of the synthesis of the U-Report youth survey, Mrs. Aïchatou SALIFOU informed that for the most part, young people in Benin believe that education is quite important for girls to promote an egalitarian world.

Sponsor of this National Forum, the Vice-President of the Republic of Benin expressed her satisfaction to see all the actors at the highest level of education in our country mobilizing around the issue of girls' education which still faces some obstacles. She then put a point of honor on the progress of Benin in this direction: "President Patrice TALON makes us do prodigious good since 2016. The results of this positive masculinity at the top of the State in a few years are exceptional, very telling, meaningful, inspiring and promising. Never has the wind been so much in our favor. Today we have leaders who are committed to the cause of women and girls' education, who are capable of listening and caring and who are only waiting for our proposals. We must seize this opportunity and work so that positive masculinity wins over the country, the communities, the regions, the families, so that we can find ways and means to bring all men to be sensitive to women's rights, to the necessity of their education".

The opening ceremony of this Forum was attended by the three Ministers in charge of education in Benin, the Minister of Health, the Minister of Social Affairs and Microfinance, the Technical and Financial Partners of the Education Sector in Benin, the President of the Republic of Benin, the President of the Republic of Cameroon and the President of the Republic of Congo.The event was attended by the three Ministers in charge of education in Benin, the Minister of Health, the Minister of Social Affairs and Microfinance, the Technical and Financial Partners of the Education Sector in Benin, the President of the National Institute for Women, social partners, local authorities, research institutions, and several other personalities and actors of the educational world.

Source: www.gouv.bj