Basic Education Awareness Campaign Conducted in Niger with Trade Unions, Parents' Representatives and Political Authorities at Various Levels

Education policy in Niger is made up of all the tendencies and decisions, which over time have determined the development of Niger's education sector and its components. In this article, the author discusses the implementation stages of education policy, that is: (1) Adoption of the General Policy Act; and (2) Planning of the implementation of the Act. Act No. 98-12 of 1 June 1998 aims to re-establish the system on new and realistic foundations, while emphasizing the sharing of costs and responsibilities between all the stakeholders, partners and beneficiaries involved. By adopting Act. No. 98-12 of 1 June 1998, the political authorities of Niger confirmed both their intention to make education one of their top priorities and their commitment to that policy. It was in this spirit that the ministries responsible for education, in consultation with technical and financial partners, prepared the 10-Year Programme for the Development of Education in Niger (PDDE) covering the period 2003-2012. This programme, which is aimed at finding viable, long-term solutions to the problems and constraints preventing the development of education, will now serve as a general reference framework for all action taken in the education sector. It is a 10-year approach in line with the guidance of the OAU's Decade of Education, the United Nations Special Initiative for Africa, the Dakar Action Framework on Education for All (EFA) and the recommendations of the Summit of Heads of State of the six least-literate countries, including Niger. Thus, the author states that the implementation of the 10-year programme will increase the chances of success of the new education policy and the reform of the system by adapting it to the socioeconomic and cultural realities of the country. It will also include three components in particular: (1) Access to education; (2) Education quality; and (3) Institutional arrangements.