Education of Disadvantaged Children in OIC:
The Key to Escape from Poverty
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Policies toaddress Language
Language is another notable challenge highlighted in the report. From a supply-side angle, it was
noted that instruction in local language improves the students’ academic performance. From a
demand-side angle, lack of Arabic instruction was seen to be a contributor to dropping out or
never enrolling in schools. The government will therefore have to test how to combine both the
need for learning in Wolof (or other local language) and the demand for Arabic instruction while
keeping the existing French schooling system in place.
Policies toaddressOther challenges
Birth certificate: There may be some seemingly ‘low-hanging’ fruits in terms of education policy
that would improve access to schooling, especially for poor children: addressing the issue of birth
certificate to pass the end of cycle exams. This is an administrative hurdle that is impactful on
access to schooling, as 77%of out of school children are without a birth certificate and more likely
to belong to poor socio-economic backgrounds.
Pre-school: The recent attention to pre-school education is welcome, especially given its positive
impact on student performance in later grades. Steps should be taken in order to mobilise
resources towards the creation of quality standards/curriculum and spaces in schools for pre-
school education. Including the last year of pre-school as part of the compulsory basic universal
education should be explored as it could help sustain and expand efforts for increased access to
quality pre-school.