The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)
Supporting early childhood education in Senegal
UNOPS and UNICEF worked with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to support the government of Senegal's goal of increasing access to education.
In Senegal, the government is aiming to boost preschool enrollment rates by increasing access to high-quality early childhood education.
In support of this, UNOPS built new pre-primary schools in Louga and Saint-Louis, in cooperation with UNICEF and using nearly $1.9 million in funding from KOICA.
Safe and inclusive infrastructure is crucial for children's development.
Taking the hot, dry climate into account, compressed earth bricks were used to construct the schools to provide a more comfortable environment for children to learn and teachers to work. Local construction companies were also used to help build the schools, creating jobs and opportunities for skills development.
"These schools are much more than a simple building, they represent a commitment to the development and well-being of children, providing them with a safe and stimulating environment in which to grow and flourish," said Dongrib Kim, Resident Representative of KOICA.
"This pre-primary school is an investment not just for today, but for a future generation that will contribute to the development of human capital through good preparation for the future," said Sarah Poehlman, Chief of Education, UNICEF Senegal.
"Ultimately, Senegal's ambition is to achieve a gross preschool enrolment rate of 64.6 per cent by 2030, a rate that currently stands at 18.2 per cent," said Maïmouna Cissokho Khouma, Director General of Senegal's National Agency for Early Childhood and Childcare. "There's still a long way to go – but I have no doubt that we'll get there together."
