Opening of nineteen “Gateway” classses in the region of Dogon Doutchi.
Nineteen classes started in the autumn of 2007. These classes are dedicated to children who are too old to attend primary schools. 9 classes have been created in the town of Dogon Doutchi, 5 in Dankassari and 5 in Kieche.
Partnership between the Stromme foundation and Tarbiyya Tatali.
This project is a partnership with a Nordic organization, Stromme foundation.
The Stromme Foundation
was created in 1976 to perpetuate the work of the Norvegian Olaf Kristian Stromme. Starting in 1960 Reverend Stomme devoted his life to the underpriviledged populations of the South. He organized a new system of fundraising to finance many development projects. This foundation is a NGO which tries to meet all the needs of the human being. It provides support to numerous programs in different fields such as agriculture, health, water supply, hygiene, education and culture and the small traditional business. The Stromme foundation does not intervene directly but provides funds to NGO’s which realize development projects in the South. The foundation finances actions which have been worked out closely with the populations involved.
Six hundred pupils per year go back to schools
This project will allow sending back 600 pupils, aged from 9 to 13, to school each year (with no more than 30 pupils per class, as requested by the Stromme foundation). The pupils attend the transition class for one year then they go back to the mainstream education system. The cost is 40000 CFA per year and per pupil, it corresponds to 64 euros.
Teaching in Haoussa and French
The Haoussa African language is used during the first two months to teach reading and writing. Haoussa is a common language used in the whole of Western Africa, in the English and the French speaking areas, and Haoussa is widely spoken in the region of Dogon Doutchi. The French language is then gradually introduced.
Assessing the 2007-2008 experiment.
That first year of experimentation showed remarkable results. The 20 classes programmed were opened. Out of 600 pupils enrolled in the transition classes, 574 attended regularly. Girls represented 50% of the enrolment, with 2% absentees.
A test was organised by representatives from the board of inspectors and the coordinators of the transition centers: 559 pupils were accepted in 4th grade, some more in 5th grade, others in 3rd grade and some among the oldest in vocational placements. Out of 24 pupils enrolled in grade 3 in 2008, 23 passed the Primary Education Diploma in June 2010.
That admirable result is owed to the organisers, teachers, and learners, and to the support of communities and authorities. The management committees made up of parents played a key part in sensitizing participants.
Actions in 2008-2011
30 Gateway teams are operating in the Dogon Doutchi, Dankassari and Kiéché communities, moving to the next village when all the children have been enrolled: overall, 900 children attend school every year.
Dictionaries and other teaching material were brought by Adiflor.
Since 2011
Together with maintaining the 30 existing gateway classes in a partnership with the Stromme Foundation, 30 new gateway classes have been created since January 2012 in the Zinder area (10 in Guidimouni, 10 in Gouré and 10 in Kellé). The State of Niger entrusted RAEDD with implementing the project.
Between 2011 and 2016, RAEDD created 255 gateway classes in several regions in Niger, with the support of the State of Niger, UNICEF and Save the Children. Over 7600 children were involved, half of them being girls. Support from the Stromme Foundation came to an end in 2013, but the action has been maintained.
In 2018-2019, RAEDD created 20 gateway-classes (10 in Maine-Soara area and 10 in the Diffa area), with support from Niger State.
After 2019, the action has not been continued
