Background

Senegal, like many other Islamic countries, has a tradition of enrolling children, mainly boys between the ages of 4 to 15, into Quranic schools named Daaras. These boys, known as talibés, are often sent by their families to study with Marabouts, religious scholars who house the children at the Daaras. The talibés come from remote rural areas seldom providing education. In many cases, the children who come from surrounding countries are brought to Senegal under conditions equivalent to child trafficking. The majority of Daaras provide only Quranic education. The classes are limited to a few hours of training in Arabic each day, and the rest of the day the boys are sent out to beg on the streets for food and money. This results in many of the children living at the Daaras for periods of many years, never enrolling in the national education system. 

Problem

As talibés only study the Quran in Arabic at the Daaras, they are illiterate, unable to read or write in French, the national language of Senegal. Talibé students cannot enter the national school system due to their lack of competencies. There are no government sponsored literacy programs for this population. The layers of complexity increase when talibés enter adulthood as an illiterate population, as a result they suffer from high unemployment and high poverty, with few viable solutions given their lack of preparation for the workforce. Many talibé are lost, floating citizens, as they were trafficked across borders to which they cannot return, in a home that will not claim them as residents. They are a vulnerable population in every aspect of their lives. 

Objective

We will pilot an alternative youth development educational program to develop basic French, Mathematics, History and English skills with 40 talibé students to prepare them for entrance into the national school system. 

We will implement sustainable solutions by training 5 community members to continue the program as volunteer educators after the one year timeline is complete.

Strategy

Implement a year pilot classrom executed through a grassroots partnership with EdAdvocate and an NGO based out of Saint Louis, Senegal. EdAdvocate completed a needs assessment on site in Senegal in July 2019 and will travel to Saint Louis in June of 2020 to rollout the program beginning October 2020. 

Design common benchmarks for targeted learning, as well as consistent data collection measuring proficiency via the national entrance exam and deliver data to stakeholders. 

Implement technology and language software to support the classroom and close the technology gap.

Create a viable Teacher Apprenticeship Program to ensure the longevity of the program.