Cameroon
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Overview
Children from the Catholic school in Cameroon.
© James Emery
Cameroon is a linguistically and ethnically diverse country whose geography ranges from Sahelian semi-desert in the north through grassland to equatorial forest in the south. This diversity favors varied economic and agricultural activities, though, in reality, 70% of the population depends on agriculture and pastoral activities for their livelihood. Cameroon is classified as a low-middle income country. It ranks 150th out of 186 countries in the 2013 UNDP Human Development Index.
Cameroon joined GPE in 2006 when its 2006-2012 Education Sector Plan was endorsed. One of the main education challenges the country faces is the lack of trained teachers. The GPE-supported program, with complementary financing from the French Development Agency, was entirely dedicated to paying contract teachers' salaries in order to increase access, enhance quality and promote equity in the education sector.
Thanks to this support, school enrolments increased especially in remote regions in the north of the country. Contract teachers were deployed to the regions of the country where they were most needed. In spite of this progress, challenges remain with respect to access to schooling and the overall quality of education. Cameroon is preparing a new Education Plan for 2013-2021.
The country's budget share going to education went down from 19.5% in 2007 to 17.9% in 2010. From that budget, 34.2% (2010) is going to basic education, compared with 37% in 2007, and 45% on average in the region.
GPE's basic principles help to strengthen government leadership, harmonize support around the country's vision and key activities retained in the program implementation plan for effectiveness and results.
Cameroon received a GPE grant of $47.5 million for the period 2007-2011, divided in two tranches of $22.5 million and $22.8 million. The implementation of the last tranche was successfully completed in December 2011. The grant supported the salary of contract teachers and the World Bank was the Supervising Entity.
Cameroon's primary completion rate increased from 64.3% in 2007 to 73% in 2010. More girls are now completing primary school, with a gender parity index for primary completion rising from 0.85 in 2007 to 0.89 in 2010.
In 2010, 49% of primary school children continued to secondary school. This rate was 47.8% in 2008. The country's youth literacy rate reached 83% (2007). In 2010, there were 37,200 new teachers working in primary schools, a sharp increase from previous years. Despite this progress, the country faces major quality issues.
Education Indicators
Out-of-School Children (%)
Number of children of official primary school age who are not enrolled in primary or secondary school, expressed as a percentage of the population of official primary school age. This indicator is intended to measure the size of the population in the official primary school age range that should be targeted by policies and efforts to achieve universal primary education. Country-specific definition, method and targets are determined by countries themselves.
Data were collected from national and other publicly available sources, and validated by the Local Education Group (LEG) in each country. LEGs are typically led by the Ministry of Education and include development partners and other education stakeholders. Data were not processed or analyzed by the Global Partnership for Education. It is reported as it was presented in the original sources, or as it was communicated to us through the Coordinating Agency or Lead Donor of the LEG.
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Primary Completion Rate (%)
The Primary Completion Rate (PCR) is the percentage of pupils who completed the last year of primary schooling. It is computed by dividing the total number of students in the last grade of primary school minus repeaters in that grade, divided by the total number of children of official completing age. Country-specific definition, method and targets are determined by countries themselves.
Data were collected from national and other publicly available sources, and validated by the Local Education Group (LEG) in each country. LEGs are typically led by the Ministry of Education and include development partners and other education stakeholders. Data were not processed or analyzed by the Global Partnership for Education. It is reported as it was presented in the original sources, or as it was communicated to us through the Coordinating Agency or Lead Donor of the LEG.
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(Million)
Total Primary-School Students (Million)
Total population of pupils in primary school, regardless of age. Country-specific definition, method and targets are determined by countries themselves.
Data were collected from national and other publicly available sources, and validated by the Local Education Group (LEG) in each country. LEGs are typically led by the Ministry of Education and include development partners and other education stakeholders. Data were not processed or analyzed by the Global Partnership for Education. It is reported as it was presented in the original sources, or as it was communicated to us through the Coordinating Agency or Lead Donor of the LEG.
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(Thousand)
Total Primary-School Teachers (Thousand)
Persons employed in an official capacity to guide and direct the learning experience of pupils in primary school, excluding educational personnel who have no active teaching duties. Country-specific definition, method and targets are determined by countries themselves.
Data were collected from national and other publicly available sources, and validated by the Local Education Group (LEG) in each country. LEGs are typically led by the Ministry of Education and include development partners and other education stakeholders. Data were not processed or analyzed by the Global Partnership for Education. It is reported as it was presented in the original sources, or as it was communicated to us through the Coordinating Agency or Lead Donor of the LEG.
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Rate
Youth Literacy Rate
The number of persons aged 15 to 24 years who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement on their everyday life, divided by the population in that age group. Generally, 'literacy' also encompasses 'numeracy', the ability to make simple arithmetic calculations. For further country-specific definition details please refer to the source of information, the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS): www.uis.unesco.org
Source of information: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (www.uis.unesco.org). Please refer to its website for country-specific details on the specific national data sources and method used.
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| 83% | 2007 | |
for Primary Completion Rate
Gender Parity Index for Primary Completion Rate
Ratio of female to male values of Primary Completion Rate. Country-specific definition, method and targets are determined by countries themselves.
Data were collected from national and other publicly available sources, and validated by the Local Education Group (LEG) in each country. LEGs are typically led by the Ministry of Education and include development partners and other education stakeholders. Data were not processed or analyzed by the Global Partnership for Education. It is reported as it was presented in the original sources, or as it was communicated to us through the Coordinating Agency or Lead Donor of the LEG.
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| 0.89 | 2010 | |
| 0.84 | 2009 | |
| 0.83 | 2008 | |
| 0.85 | 2007 | |
| 1 | (Target) | 2015 |
Domestic Financing
as % of Total Public Spending
Public Spending on Total Education as % of Total Public Spending
Public expenses devoted to the education sector, including recurrent and capital expenditures and teacher salaries, expressed as a percentage of the total general government expenses. Country-specific definition, method and targets are determined by countries themselves.
Data were collected from national and other publicly available sources, and validated by the Local Education Group (LEG) in each country. LEGs are typically led by the Ministry of Education and include development partners and other education stakeholders. Data were not processed or analyzed by the Global Partnership for Education. It is reported as it was presented in the original sources, or as it was communicated to us through the Coordinating Agency or Lead Donor of the LEG.
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as % of Total Education Spending
Basic Education as % of Total Education Spending
Public expenses devoted to the basic education sector, including recurrent and capital expenditures and teacher salaries, expressed as a percentage of the public spending on total education. Country-specific definition, method and targets are determined by countries themselves.
Data were collected from national and other publicly available sources, and validated by the Local Education Group (LEG) in each country. LEGs are typically led by the Ministry of Education and include development partners and other education stakeholders. Data were not processed or analyzed by the Global Partnership for Education. It is reported as it was presented in the original sources, or as it was communicated to us through the Coordinating Agency or Lead Donor of the LEG.
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External Aid
Aid Disbursement for Total Education (US$ Million)
Sum of international concessional aid disbursed by reporting development partners (donors) to the total education sector in a specific developing country. Targets indicate the sum of the scheduled or projected aid. Accounted aid includes activities, projects, technical cooperation and sector and budget support (20%), as it was reported by donors to the Global Partnership for Education.
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AT A GLANCE
GPE FUNDING
Key Documents
Local Education Group
Local Education Group
A Local Education Group (LEG) is a forum of stakeholders within the education sector who develop, implement, monitor and evaluate education sector plans. All member countries of the Global Partnership have a LEG. They are led by the national government, and are composed of education development partners such as donors and development agencies, teachers' organizations, civil society organizations, and private education providers. Nonetheless, the specific composition, title, and working arrangements of a LEG vary from country to country.