At the start of the new school year, Yassifette, a 17-year-old mother, joins other students of the Bambari middle school, capital of the Ouaka prefecture, to check that her name is on the list of enrollees. “In 2023, I was forced to join my daughter's father after pregnancy occurred. I couldn't continue my studies due to lack of financial support,” she explains, holding her daughter in her arms. Today, she is back in school.
In the Central African Republic, over 30%1 of girls drop out of primary school due to household financial instability or early pregnancy. This situation is even more acute in rural areas, where the dropout rate for girls reaches 40%, significantly impacting the illiteracy rate.
To address this trend, the World Bank-funded Human Capital and Empowerment of Women and Girls Project (f) focuses on access to health, education, and employment opportunities. Known as "Maïngo," which means development in the Sango language, the national language, the project provides scholarships for girls to advance their education at least until the end of secondary school. After a year of implementation at Bambari Secondary School, the project is beginning to yield positive results.
Girls frequently face marginalization within the education system
The gender gap in school enrollment is significant, especially at the high school in Bambari, 385 kilometers from Bangui, the capital. Of the 1,340 girls enrolled at the start of the 2022-2023 school year, 47% dropped out during the school year. This is due to households lacking financial resources; most residents are low-income farmers who cannot afford education for all their children.
“Parents often prioritise boys' education over girls', allocating limited resources to them,” explains Abel Matchipata, mayor of the city. “Consequently, girls frequently stop studying early or are withdrawn from schools.”