Education in Djibouti - Government Reform

Government Reform

In 1999 the government revisited its educational policies and launched a consultative process, National Education Forum (Etats generaux de l’Education), which included all stakeholders (administration, teachers, parents, national assembly, and NGOs). Facing challenges of extremely low enrollments, internal and external inefficiencies, gender and socio-economic inequities, high unit costs and a skewed expenditure structure toward teacher wages, the Forum set out an ambitious reform program, aiming to develop and education system that is efficient, financially viable and responsive to the country’s development needs. Building on the consensus and the recommendations, the government developed a Ten-Year Perspective Plan (Schéma Directeur 2000-2010). In August 2000, the government passed an New Education Law (Loi d’orientation du système éducatif) and prepared a Medium-Term Plan 2000-2005 (Plan d’action à moyen terme).

The reform initiative sought to improve the quality of instruction, to increase the role of parents and communities, to introduce competency-based approaches to student learning, and to strengthen the capacity of private and non-formal system to reach youth who do not enrolled, especially girls.

Government strategy covers basic education, vocational education, secondary education, higher education, adult education and, in particular, women’s literacy.