This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SANAA 000459
SIPDIS
AIDAC FOR ANE/MEA MWOOLFORD
NEA/PI FOR RWADHWANI OR NEA/PI CBOURGEOIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMGT OTRA YM
SUBJECT: MEPI EDUCATION: DEVELOPING THE "PARTERNSHIP SCHOOLS"
CONCEPT
REF: STATE 11812
Below is Post's response to reftel questions:
1. On January 27, 2004, Post met with the Vice Minister of
Education, Dr. Abdulaziz Bin Habtoor, to discuss the MEPI
Partnership Schools Initiative. Dr. Habtoor was responsive to the
Partnership Schools concept and will provide further feedback and
guidance after consultations within the Ministry of Education
(MoE).
2. The Republic of Yemen Government (ROYG) is committed to
specific reforms and improvements in basic education (grades 1-9)
and has already taken several steps towards the development and
modernization of the education sector. The MoE is implementing its
Basic Education Development Strategy (BEDS) designed to expand
access for children, especially girls, in rural areas, improve
quality, and increase efficiency of education. Examples of on-
going activities include school construction, school mapping,
community participation, and teachers' deployment and training.
Through these policies and reforms, the MoE is hoping to achieve
at least 95% of the net enrolment in the basic education cycle of
grades 1-9 by 2015. The donor community (UNICEF, EU, GTZ, WB,
Dutch Embassy, DFID, WFP, and USAID) has been and must continue to
provide financial and technical support to the education sector
for Yemen to meet this lofty goal.
3. The ROYG is executing their education reforms jointly with the
donor community. The governorates with the most active support in
education reform are: Taiz, Aden, Hodeidah, and Sana'a. The USG is
working with the ROYG in five rural, underdeveloped, and
underserved governorates (Marib, Saada, Al-Jawf, Amran, and
Shabwa) to execute their basic education strategy. Support for
education reform in these governorates is strong, especially as
assistance to these areas has been extremely limited.
4. The national government is responsible for the primary and
secondary education of students. However, the ROYG is in the midst
of a decentralization program designed to transfer budgeting and
planning responsibilities to the governorate, district, and local
levels. The ROYG spends USD 174 to188 per pupil per year on basic
education.
5. Though education in Yemen is supposed to be free, there are
other expenditures that must be covered by families/students,
which equal approximately USD 10.5 per student per year. These
expenditures include: registration fees, mid-year exam and end-of-
year exams, school certificates, and school clothing. (WFP School
Survey Report Nov, 2002)
6. In some remote areas, families also cover extra expenditures to
include the cost of water and bread for teachers. These
expenditures equal approximately USD 4.00 per student per year.
7. In addition, households take turns in providing meals to
teachers from outside the district, which can be as much as USD 10-
14 per student per year.