Financing for equity in primary and secondary education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to schools
3. Education resources to students and families
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Introduction
In Guinea, the Ministry of Education and Alphabetisation is responsible for the overall education budget. The central government allocates financial resources to regional education inspectorates. These inspectorates then distribute funds to prefectural and communal education directorates. The prefectural and communal directorates are responsible for managing and allocating funds to schools within their areas.
The funding flow in Guinea is therefore structured from the central level down to regional, prefectural, and communal levels before reaching individual schools. Schools do not receive funds directly from the central government.
International donors and partners also provide financial support to the education sector in Guinea. These funds are often managed through the Ministry of Education or local NGOs.
The Ten-Year Education Programme (ProDEG) 2020–2029 constitutes the government’s single education sector policy. It prioritises equitable access to basic education, improved quality and relevance, and enhanced literacy for youth and adults. An Education Pooled Fund/Special Budget Allocation (FCE/BAS) supports ProDEG implementation, financed by the French Development Agency, the Global Partnership for Education, and UNICEF.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
Law L/2017/030/AN assigns education-related powers to communes, and Guinea’s Ten-Year Education Programme (ProDEG) 2020-2029 includes a decentralisation subprogramme aimed at transferring powers to local structures by clarifying their roles. However, no information was found on any funding mechanism from the central government to local governments that incorporates equity considerations.
The Special Allocation Budget (BAS) was adopted as the financing modality for the Common Fund for Basic Education (FCE), with procedures defined and validated. The FCE comprises three BAS, one for each ministry (MEPU-A, MESRS, and METFP), with each minister serving as the primary authorising officer. At regional and departmental levels, governors and prefects act as secondary authorising officers. Primary school infrastructure projects are implemented in coordination with the Agence nationale de financement des collectivités locales (National Agency for the Financing of Local Authorities).
According to the World Bank (2021), over 80% of Guinea’s education budget is allocated to decentralised spending; however, regional and prefectural governments have limited direct access to these resources, as funds are executed centrally.
2. Education resources to schools
The Education Sector Plan 2015-2017, coordinated by the Ministry of Education with the World Bank, UNICEF, and the Global Partnership for Education, focused on improving access to basic education for marginalized groups, especially females, rural and out-of-school children, and launched a large-scale literacy campaign targeting women. Guinea’s Ten-Year Education Programme (ProDEG) 2020-2029, under priority programme 1 (Equitable access to general education), includes a subprogramme “Promoting inclusive education” that aims to adapt facilities for people with disabilities, provide schools with specialized equipment, and link special and formal education. However, no information was found on funding mechanisms for allocating resources to schools.
3. Education resources to students and families
Distribution of School bags and Supplies
The Education IV support project (2006-2013), in partnership with the African Development Fund, aimed to promote universal primary education and equitable development. One output was the distribution of school bags and supplies to 18,000 underprivileged girls in the Boke, Kankan, and N'Nzérékoré regions.
Distribution of Hygiene Kits
To improve the retention of girls at the lower secondary education level, the Guinea's Ten-Year Education Programme (ProDEG) (2020-2029) includes the distribution of hygiene kits targeted especially at girls from disadvantaged backgrounds. This approach aims to tackle some of the socio-cultural and practical barriers that lead to female school dropout. The programme’s financing is expected to come from a mix of government resources and international donors, aligning with broader efforts to fund education and health integration projects in Guinea, thus ensuring sustainable support for girls’ education and well-being.
To address gender disparities in education, the United Nations System in Guinea, in partnership with the Ministries of Education and Sanitation, has constructed or rehabilitated separate latrine blocks in 31 schools, providing improved sanitary conditions for 6,904 students, including 2,897 girls. Additionally, a total of 1,302,749 students and teachers across 5,339 schools received hygiene kits to support the safe reopening of schools and promote a healthy learning environment.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Productive Social Safety Nets Project/Conditional Cash Transfer to Protect Human Capital
In partnership with the World Bank, the government implemented the Productive Social Safety Nets Project (PSSN) from 2012 to 2019. The project aimed to support vulnerable groups by providing income assistance through cash transfers and school feeding programs in rural areas. A key component, the Conditional Cash Transfer to Protect Human Capital, focused on improving household living conditions and increasing school attendance and enrollment—especially for girls—by granting cash to poor families with young children, conditional on their regular school attendance and health center visits.
5. School meal programmes
Programme national d’alimentation scolaire – National School Food Programme
The National School Food Programme was established in 2002. In 2015, the National School Canteens Directorate was created to oversee the implementation of the national school feeding policy and coordinate related activities. Decision-making and partial financing are centralised under the Ministry of Education and Alphabetisation. The programme targets preschool and primary levels based on geography. The National School Food Programme (PNAS) did not involve nutritionists.
Additionally, a Home-Grown School Feeding programme targets vulnerable areas with low enrolment and completion rates, providing take-home rations to girls finishing primary school.
School Feeding Programmes under ProDEG
As part of Guinea’s Ten-Year Education Programme (ProDEG 2020–2029), school feeding initiatives have been expanded to improve nutrition and reduce malnutrition among primary and preschool children. In collaboration with the National Directorate of School Canteens (DNCAS) and school canteen committees (COGEST), 147,715 students received hot meals, with 2,790 tons of food distributed over three months. Additionally, Super Cereal+ was provided to 3,103 children in community support centres and 36 preschools. Through the Special Allocation Budget (BAS) under the Common Fund for Basic Education, 200 schools received USD 474,833 via full cash transfers, enabling direct food procurement from local small-scale producers.
This profile was reviewed by Diallo Mamadou Saliou, Researcher, Department of International and Public Policy, University of Tsukuba.
