Guinea has made steady progress in increasing primary school enrolment, especially of girls. Yet, schools are overcrowded and the quality of education is poor. Local communities must be key partners with national and international organisations if there is to be further progress in increasing girls’ participation.

A report from Princeton University analyses constraints to girls’ education in Guinea, drawing on data from visits to formal schools (sponsored by UNICEF as part of the African Girls’ Education Initiative) and non-formal centres.

According to 2003 figures, approximately 65 percent of Guinea’s school-age children begin first grade and approximately 44 percent of school-age girls enter school. Keeping girls in primary school and enabling them to acquire marketable skills are critical challenges facing the Guinean formal school system.

Students are attracted to non-formal centres because – unlike formal schools – they have flexible entry ages, are free and can provide practical skills for future employment. However, as they expand, many centres lack sufficient materials to allow students to learn a trade. Furthermore, too many students study the same trades, thus risking over-saturation of the job market and low wages.

Interviews with administrators, students, parents and teachers showed that:

• Despite improvements in attitudes about girls’ education, some biases persist.
• Economic reasons, such as lack of transport, also prevent girls from attending school.
• There are insufficient teachers and primary class sizes are massive.
• Teachers are underpaid and often have poor housing, leading to absenteeism.
• Reporting systems between schools and central administrators are poor.

Guinea could benefit from an education system which uses indigenous knowledge in promoting sustainable livelihoods, multilingualism, multiculturalism, peace, justice, reconciliation and unity. For example, while local languages are used in classrooms, all textbooks are in French. With materials in local languages and parents and children encouraged to read and write in the local language, parents may then see the relevance of literacy and the need to invest in education. It is vital to ensure that more girls complete primary school and go on to secondary education. The authors recommend the following:

• Government and donor funds must be directed to measures that impact on girls directly.
• Free safe and reliable transport needs to be made available, especially to secondary school students.
• Local communities must be allowed to participate both in the provision of and access to education; this includes creating initiatives for local construction business, training and employment of teachers, distribution of teaching materials and equipment, as well as provision of transport.
• More local men, and especially women, should be trained as teachers and efforts made to improve salaries and pay them on time.
• A wider variety of skills should be taught in non-formal centres, and similarly, marketable skills should be taught in the formal schools.
• Additional campaigns are needed to increase respect for girls’ education, punctuality and regular attendance.

Source(s):
‘Voices From Rural Guinea on the Education of Girls and Boys’, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, by Nii Addy, Elizabeth Foster, Nathalie Gons, Kristina Graff, Kerry Griffin, and Priyadarshani Joshi , January 2005 Full document.

Funded by: Princeton University and UNICEF

id21 Research Highlight: 19 July 2006

Further Information:
Nii Addy
c/o Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs
Princeton University
Robertson Hall
Princeton, NJ 08544-1013
USA

Tel: +1 609 258-5988
Contact the contributor: naddy@alumni.princeton.edu

Princeton University

Alison Qualter Berna
Public Affairs Officer
Office of Public Partnerships
UNICEF
3 UN Plaza, room 1134
New York, NY 10017
USA

Tel: +1 212 326-7553
Contact the contributor: aqualter@unicef.org

UNICEF

Other related links:
'Partnerships will improve girls’ education'

'Closing gender gaps in education: lessons from good practice'

'Gender bias in education: here to stay?'

'Denying Kenyan girls their right to education'

'United Nations Girls' Education Initiative (UNGEI)'

'Girls’ Education: Working with Partners to Meet the Challenge', World Bank