The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has granted US$38 million to Senegal for five years (2208-2013) for the education sector in the West African state. The announcement came from the USAID Director, Kevin Mullaly during a round table of business companies which support the cause of education in the country. The support will be provided in several ways: access of vulnerable children to basic quality education; the definition and implementation of curricula; improving governance and education management; increased access of teachers and students to ICT; and greater involvement of the private sector in the sector of education through a partnership public private.
The thrust of the meeting was to convince other companies to raise US$6 million to supplement the USAID/ Basic Education. Mullaly said the additional resources will help give 35,000 students a two-week orientation, give 4,000 students the opportunity to visit companies and 5,000 company managers to go round school facilities. He called for a well thought partnership between the private and public sectors, noting that for the partnership to be stronger, it should be hinged on a public/private partnership on the policies and strategies to be implemented.
