Financing for equity in higher education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to institutions
3. Education resources to students
4. Support for students' living costs
Introduction
Key financing indicators (UIS Data)
According to UIS, in 2023, the gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education was 11.6% for both sexes. That year, initial government funding per tertiary student amounted to 52.9% of GDP per capita, while in 2015, household funding per tertiary student was 31.8% of GDP per capita.
Tuition-free status
Article 5 of Law 2023-429 states that public higher education and research services are free, but lists exceptions, including registration fees, social security contributions, costs for school supplies and textbooks, and tuition fees for vocational training.
Governance
The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MESRS) is responsible for overseeing and supervising public higher education funding. Its role includes designing policies, allocating budgets to institutions, and coordinating academic and research activities.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
There is no formal mechanism for decentralising resources from the central government to local administrations for managing public higher education. Instead, the system follows a centralised model where the central government, through the MESRS, allocates budgets directly to public universities and grandes écoles.
2. Education resources to institutions
Funding for private universities in the absence of public institutions
Allowances to private institutions primarily consist of current expenditures, mainly covering subsidies for students referred to private grandes écoles. This policy directs students to private institutions, enabling the government to accommodate all high school graduates due to the limited capacity of public institutions. The state pays the annual tuition fees for students directed to private institutions, with the subsidy amount varying by field of study.
Allocation and equity
The mechanism for allocating public funds to higher education largely relies on the historical expenditure of each institution, subject to annual reviews. Public unit costs per student vary considerably from one university to another. Its distribution in public universities and grandes écoles shows that the latter receive, on average, 2 to 7 times more public resources per student than public universities, with significant disparity even among public universities.
No subsidy targeting equity has been identified.
3. Education resources to students
Admission for vulnerable groups
Law No. 2023-429 of 2023 establishes the principle of accessibility for persons with disabilities, and the State is committed to facilitating their access to higher education. People with disabilities are a priority in the scholarship system, with official quotas ensuring their preference in allocation.
Although a law on the inclusion of students with disabilities exists, it has yet to be implemented.
Scholarships, grants and loans for vulnerable groups
The Scholarship Department (DB) of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research is a central administration responsible for managing scholarships and financial aid. The available types of aid include scholarships (government financial support to supplement parental contributions), financial assistance (to address specific social issues), and scholarships for studying abroad. Financial assistance is need-based, while scholarships are merit-based. All students can apply for financial assistance, but those with scholarships are ineligible.
The eligibility requirements for the state scholarship are outlined in Decree 96-615 of August 9, 1996, regarding scholarships for higher education. Specifically, students applying for a national scholarship must have an average grade of at least 12/20 for new baccalaureate holders and must be admitted to the next year of study or to a competitive examination for a prestigious public university. The number of scholarship recipients and financial aid beneficiaries depends on the budget allocated annually for this purpose.
Scholarships are also subject to additional criteria (in order of importance): (i) quotas (by institution, field of study, year of study, disabled students), (ii) academic merit, (iii) the nature of the studies pursued, (iv) age, (v) gender, and (vi) the economic situation of the parents.
No grants and loans for specific groups in higher education from the government have been identified.
4. Support for students’ living costs
Transportation
For transportation, a state subsidy enables students to pay a monthly sum of 3000 F. CFA to travel on the buses operated by the public transport corporation.
Accommodation
The Centres Régionaux des Œuvres Universitaires (CROU) (Regional Centres for University Services) are public institutions under the supervision of the MESRS that manage student accommodation. Vulnerable groups, such as students with disabilities or verified social hardship certified by social services, are given priority.
Textbooks
According to Law No. 2023-429 of 2023, the gratuity of public education explicitly excludes textbooks and school supplies.
This profile was reviewed by GOIN BI Zamblé Théodore, Maître de Conferences.
