The diagnosis

The RAEDD noticed that many Nigerien pupils neither read nor write at the end of their primary education. This situation seriously compromises their future.

The initiative launched by RAEDD

Tested in 2007, the initiative was extended to the 10 rural districts in the department of Dogon Doutchi.in 2008. This program is a voluntary program without any external financial support.

• The objective is to organize a remedial holiday course in writing and reading.

• The course lasts one month.

• The rural districts are in charge of raising awareness among parents for the registration of the children, and of appointing a teacher.

• The board of inspectors provides a classroom and the equipment ( chalk, rulers… )

• The parents do not pay any registration fee; they only purchase a reading and writing textbook of 30 lessons provided by the RAEDD.

• The textbook costs 2000 F (3 euros) including 500 F for the teacher and 1500 F for the book itself.

• The RAEDD schedules one training day for the teachers to show them the correct use of the textbook. The teachers’salary depends on the number of textbooks sold.

Some rural districts claim more than 50 registered pupils.

In August people in those villages face food shortages before the next crops. It will be necessary to find a scheme making it possible for moneyless parents whowish to register their children.

The action came to a halt in 2009, after the RAEDD counsellor in charge had a road accident.