World Bank and GPE Commit $11.35M to Boost Inclusive Education in Djibouti

The World Bank, in collaboration with the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), has approved an additional $11.35 million in funding to strengthen Djibouti's education sector and broaden learning opportunities, particularly for vulnerable and underserved populations. This funding supplements the ongoing Expanding Opportunities for Learning Project, which has been central to national education reform since its inception. With the new allocation, the project's total funding has reached $41.7 million.

Expanding Access and Improving Quality

This initiative is strategically aimed at enhancing access to basic education and improving the quality of teaching and learning. It focuses on creating a strong foundation for early childhood education, ensuring continuity in primary and lower secondary education, and fortifying institutional capacities across the education system.

The project will directly benefit a wide range of stakeholders, including children in pre-primary, primary, and lower secondary schools, particularly those from marginalized groups such as rural communities, refugee populations, girls, and children with disabilities. Indirect beneficiaries include teachers, school leaders, pedagogical advisors, inspectors, and families who play crucial roles in supporting children's learning journeys.

Fatou Fall, Joint Resident Representative of the World Bank Group for Djibouti, emphasized the importance of the initiative:

“COVID-19 severely disrupted Djibouti’s education system, and concerns remain about equitable access and the quality of education. This additional financing will help increase equitable access to preschool and basic education, while also enhancing the quality of learning for each child in the classroom.”

Tackling Systemic Inequities

Djibouti’s education system continues to face significant disparities. While 80 percent of boys complete primary school, the rate is only 71 percent for girls. This gender gap widens at the transition to lower secondary education, where only 90 percent of girls make the shift compared to 98 percent of boys. Furthermore, limited access to educational materials severely constrains learning outcomes: only 7.6 percent of students have reading books at home, a number that drops to a mere 1.9 percent in remote areas.

Refugee children face additional obstacles, often attending schools that lack adequate resources, trained staff, and infrastructure. These challenges are compounded by broader systemic issues, such as outdated teaching practices and insufficient data to drive policy reforms.

Investing in the Future: Training and Infrastructure

The additional financing will build on lessons from previous phases of the project by scaling up successful innovations and deepening systemic reforms. Prior investments have shown positive outcomes, such as improved student retention and teaching effectiveness through targeted teacher training and curriculum development.

A portion of the new funding will support the professional development of educators, including teachers, pedagogical advisors, and trainers, thereby strengthening classroom instruction and leadership capacity. Infrastructure development, particularly the construction and rehabilitation of classrooms and resource centers, will further help alleviate congestion and improve the learning environment.

This initiative also aligns with Djibouti’s national education development plan, Schéma directeur de l'éducation et de la formation (2021–2035), which serves as a roadmap for transforming the education sector into a more inclusive and resilient system.

International Collaboration for National Impact

The $11.35 million in new financing includes a $6.5 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA)—the World Bank’s fund for the poorest countries—and a $4.85 million grant from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), an international funding platform that supports education in low-income nations.

These contributions reflect a continued commitment by international partners to help Djibouti build a more equitable and high-quality education system that leaves no child behind. As global education systems grapple with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, this project offers a beacon of progress and a model for inclusive development.