Kadafia is a 4th-grade teacher at the Siké Sud School in Cotonou, Benin. Despite his passion for the job, he notes that teaching conditions are constantly deteriorating at the national level. Thanks to the project Aide-Action’s “Child-friendly, girl-friendly school”, the school in which he works has become, on the contrary, an example of collaboration and success.
“In this school, there are 18 classes for only 8 holders, the deficit of teachers is shouting everywhere in Benin. Trainees come to fill the vacant positions but they are not up to par, so the children accumulate the gaps from the beginning of their schooling!
It’s discouraging in everyday life, many lose their motivation. The students are too many, we can not do anything good. The Beninese teacher does not want to work in these conditions, we must take the courage to say it.
An educational system in tension
Fortunately since the arrival of Aide et Action, for me everything is easier. The project “Child-friendly, girl-friendly school” places children at the center of their schooling. From now on, it is them who manage so they want to do well. Before, it was always necessary to call them to order but now we collaborate, we do a group work. Through school governments or the definition of common rules of life, students get involved in the life of the school.
This lightenes our task and improves relationships between teachers, students and parents. There is also a big change about girls who are encouraged and who take confidence in themselves! “
The Beninese government is well aware that the shortage of teachers is one of the evils that undermine the education system of the country. For this 2019-2020 school year, it was decided to merge classes in primary schools to reduce the number of classes without teachers. Unfortunately, this solution is far from satisfactory since it responds only artificially to the problem and will only deteriorate the quality of the education provided.