Financing for equity in pre-primary education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to institutions
3. Education resources to students and families
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Introduction
Key financing indicators (UIS Data)
The official entrance age to pre-primary education in Niger is four years old. The net enrolment rate for pre-primary for both sexes was 7.07% as of 2024.
According to Article 18 of the Law on the Orientation of the Education System (LOSEN): pre-school is for children between the ages of three and five. The pre-primary system primarily services 4-6-year-olds in kindergartens.
Governance
In Niger, the Ministry of National Education oversees the basic education sector, including kindergartens that are attached to public primary schools. Within the ministry, the Directorate of Preschool and Primary Education focuses on younger children. The Ministry supervises the Regional Directorates of National Education (DREN), the Departmental Directorates of National Education (DDEN), and the Inspectorates of Basic Education (IBE).
Tuition-free status
Public pre-primary education in Niger is not tuition-free according to national laws and policies, which guarantee free compulsory public education from age 6 (primary to secondary, ages 6-16) under the 1998 Orientation Law (Nº98-012) but treat pre-primary (ages 3-6) as optional with no explicit fee abolition.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
Niger launched its National Decentralisation Policy in 2012, with the intention to transfer additional responsibilities to local authorities, particularly in the education sector. Under Decree 2016-075, specific competencies and resources are transferred from the central government to local authorities. The decentralisation policy establishes that funding is distributed through a financial support system for local governments, which includes the Decentralisation Support Fund and the Equalisation Fund (fonds de péréquation). According to UNICEF, the decentralisation process for education officially took effect in 2018.
The Sectoral Common Fund for Education (FCSE) serves as an additional source of funding. The FCSE pools contributions from several technical and financial partners and is managed by Niger’s six ministries in charge of education and training. The funds must be aligned with national policies, structures and procedures. In the 2019 budget law, 85% of the FCSE was earmarked for regions (35% for decentralised services, 27% for local authorities, and 23% for autonomous public institutions). The FCSE has been used to support the integration of young people, women, and people with disabilities.
According to a 2023 report by GPE, education resource allocation in Niger has been geared towards reducing disparities since 2020. The 2020-2022 Education and Training Sector Transition Plan (PTSEF) identified priority regions for addressing inequalities. The country now has a tool for allocating equitable subsidies to educational institutions, as well as a tool for measuring municipal vulnerabilities and a tool for allocating resources to regional directorates. There are also measures being taken in areas affected by conflict and crises, as well as rural areas.
2. Education resources to institutions
According to the 1998 Education System Law, public schools are funded by the state, local authorities, families, and other natural or legal persons. Special education is primarily the responsibility of the state.
In the school system, many kindergartens are attached to public primary schools. These schools may be either “traditional” schools which instruct pupils in the French language or “madrasas” which are public schools with instruction in Arabic, the Muslim religion, and secular subjects. Community-based preschools have been in the process of becoming public schools. They may receive monthly subsidies from the state to help with operating costs such as staff salaries and educational materials.
A pilot programme by the Ministry of National Education in collaboration with UNICEF has allowed many students to access a preparatory course in the preschool education section. The goal is to improve student preparedness for entering the first year or primary school.
3. Education resources to students and families
The government has recently repealed a 1997 decree liberalising private school fees. They have also asked all private institutions to reduce tuition fees by 20% with the floor set at FCFA 50,000. Only charities or educational aid organizations can go below this threshold. No other resources were found.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Allocations familiales (Family Allowances)
Family allowances are cash benefits provided to individuals with one or more dependent children, contingent on having insured status with the National Social Security Fund (CNSS – Caisse nationale de sécurité sociale). The allowance is set at 1,500 F per child per month, payable up to the age of 16 for non-schooling children, 18 for those in vocational training or professional schools, and 21 for children who are in school or have disabilities.
