São Tomé and Príncipe

Allocation: US$750,000

Years: 2020-2021

Grant agent: UNICEF

Key documents:

• Application and program document

The US$750,000 COVID-19 grant supports:

• Distance learning through TV and radio programs, using national and local stations, and an online learning platform
• Printed learning materials and purchasing of solar radios for vulnerable children
• Basic school supplies (backpacks, pencil books, etc.) for vulnerable children to mitigate financial barriers for families and reduce student dropouts
• Food baskets for disadvantaged families during school closure and purchasing teaching and recreational material for children with disabilities after schools reopen
• Activities to encourage the return to school, mainly through access to WASH facilities and the development of communication materials to raise public awareness of COVID-19 involving students, parents and the community
• Learning assessments, remedial classes, and educational radio for out-of-school children
• Girls through a gender violence awareness campaign and distribution of hygiene kits.

In late March 2020, the UNICEF office in Sao Tome and Principe received a GPE grant of US$70,000 to support the Ministry of Education with developing a national response plan. The grant was also used to support the education crisis team.

The government of Sao Tome and Principe developed an education sector plan, as well as an Educational Policy Charter 2012-2020 outlining priorities and strategies for the education sector. The final objective of the government is to provide 12 years of free, quality education to all children in the country, as well as offer higher and technical education opportunities.

Although the country has achieved universal primary education, the system faces challenges with respect to efficiency, quality and governance. About 60% of primary education teachers are unqualified.

To achieve these objectives the plan outlines strategies to:

• Ensure, in a gradual and sustainable manner, universal access to 12 years of free, quality education.
• Develop quality technical and vocational secondary and higher education offerings.
• Develop the offer of quality higher education, integrated and adapted to the needs of the labor market.
• Implement a training and high-level training policy for teachers and other education officials to address the quality and efficiency challenges within the education system.
• Develop the institutional capacity of the ministry of education to ensure an effective management of education sector, in particular through the development of an Education Management Information System (EMIS).