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 Mauritania, public education funding is managed through a centralised government budgeting process. The national Finance Law (2024) allocates resources across the education sector, with the Ministry of National Education, the Ministry of Higher Education, and the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training overseeing different aspects of the system. Government funds cover teacher salaries, school infrastructure, learning materials, school feeding programmes, and general operational costs for public schools.
Historically, individual schools did not have their own budgets and could not directly manage or monitor financial resources, limiting local engagement and accountability. To address this, the World Bank implemented the Transparency of the Mauritanian Education (TOME) project from 2017 to 2021, which aimed to enhance budget transparency and promote decentralised, participatory financing at the local level. A key initiative under TOME was piloting participatory budgeting and action planning with local school committees, known as Comités de Gestion des Écoles (COGES), established in public schools in 2019. These committees, composed of school administrators, teachers, parents, students, and local civil society representatives, oversee school operations, budgets, and improvement plans.
The lessons learned from TOME informed the design of the subsequent Basic Education Sector Support Project (PASEB II), also funded by the World Bank. PASEB II supports the training and capacity building of COGES members and provides small annual budgets to committees in targeted areas to strengthen local financial management.
In addition to government allocations, external partners contribute to the education budget through targeted projects, and household spending represents a significant share of overall education costs, particularly for private schooling and supplementary expenses, although it does not constitute a formal funding mechanism for public schools.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
Mauritania is divided into wilayas (regions), which are subdivided into moughataas (departments) and then districts. Regional governments are responsible for constructing, equipping, maintaining, and servicing high schools, colleges, and vocational training institutions, recruiting and supporting staff, and implementing national education policies.
Resource allocation from the central government is highly centralised. The national government determines the education budget and distributes funds to regional and local offices, which implement policies and programmes without full autonomy over budget decisions. Needs-based allocations consider factors such as population size, school enrolment, poverty rates, and regional vulnerabilities, particularly in rural or underserved areas, though no transparent formula is publicly available.
The 2020 National Strategy for Decentralisation and Local Development (SNDDL) aims to empower regional and local authorities through a proposed National Decentralisation and Local Development Fund, but education funding at subnational levels remains limited and heavily dependent on central government allocations.
2. Education resources to schools
Public resources are primarily allocated through the centralised budgeting process via the Ministry of National Education. Funding is generally provided at the programme level (primary and secondary), with limited structured budgets for individual schools. Efforts under the National Education Sector Development Programme PNDSE III (2023–2030) aim to strengthen school management committees (COGES) and pilot school-level budgeting. Schools may also receive external financing through targeted development projects.
Targeted allocations exist but lack explicit equity-based formulas. PNDSE III notes inconsistencies in teacher allocation, where schools with similar enrolments may have vastly different staffing levels. The 2024 Finance Law includes allocations aimed at schools serving vulnerable populations, including low-enrolment provinces and programmes to reduce dropouts in underserved areas.
Special Education Funding
The Ministry of National Education has allocated resources to support children with special needs, including adapting schools for accessibility and expanding teacher training. National development strategies include plans for specialist educational centres and extended facilities for students with disabilities.
Inclusion of Refugees
Mauritania’s Ministry of Education is integrating refugees into the national system under PNDSE III. By 2024, all refugees are to be included in the national education information system, and schools in the Mbera camp will gradually adopt the Mauritanian curriculum, with full primary cycle alignment by 2027. New students in the camp will follow the national curriculum from 2025.
To support the inclusion of refugees in the national education system, a 10-year Budgeted Action Plan and a Three-year Roadmap for Inclusion have been developed by UNHCR, UNESCO, and the Ministry of Education and Reform of the Education System. In early 2025, the ministry also issued a circular instructing municipalities across the country to ensure that refugee children have equal access to national schools.
3. Education resources to students and families
The Ministry of Education provides school supply kits to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Kits include essential learning materials such as notebooks, pens, and pencils, helping to reduce barriers to education. Distribution is coordinated by the Ministry with support from UNICEF and other partners, forming part of Mauritania’s strategy to promote equity and improve access to quality education for all children.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Tekavoul National Social Transfer Programme
Launched in 2013, the Tekavoul National Social Transfer Programme is administered by Agence Tadamoun, the National Agency for the Fight against the Aftermath of Slavery, Integration, and the Fight against Poverty. It is jointly financed by the government, the World Bank, the Sahel Adaptive Social Protection Programme, and the French Development Agency. The programme provides regular cash transfers to extremely poor and vulnerable households identified through the national social registry, with payments conditional on children’s enrolment and attendance in school. The transfer amount is 3,600 MRU per quarter.
5. School meal programmes
National School Feeding Programme
Mauritania has operated the National School Feeding Programme since 2020, implemented by the Ministry of National Education with government and donor financing. Meals are prepared and served on site at primary schools five days a week, with targeting focused on regions experiencing high levels of poverty and malnutrition. Parent-teacher associations and local cooks are engaged in implementation, encouraging community participation while supporting local livelihoods. The programme seeks to improve learning outcomes, provide a social safety net, and address nutritional needs.
