Girls sit in a classroom preparing for a class in Cameroon. September 2022. Credit: UNICEF/UN0704362/Beguel

Partner since:

Total grant support: US$172,961,418

Grant eligibility:

  • Multiplier
  • Girls' Education Accelerator
  • System capacity
  • System transformation

Partnership compact

Priority: Improving the quality of learning through the professionalization of the teaching profession.

Other key documents

Coordinating agency: Plan International, UNICEF

GPE Team lead: Ludovic Signarbieux, Mafaizath Fatoke

Transforming education in Cameroon

Cameroon has high enrollment in primary education, but 25% of students do not complete primary school and the transition rate from primary to secondary has been declining.

Low learning levels, unfavorable teaching and learning conditions, and chronic teacher shortages call for transformative change. Cameroon is working with GPE and other partners to improve the quality of learning by professionalizing the teaching workforce.

Cameroon’s Partnership Compact describes the country’s plans to achieve results at scale. The reform includes developing and strengthening teacher’s capacities through improved training and pedagogical supervision.

Improvements to the teaching and learning environment involve school construction, ensuring the health, safety and protection of students and teachers, and the provision of new teaching and learning materials.

Cameroon also aims to strengthen the coordination, planning and monitoring of the education sector with an aim to improve the management of teachers and financial resources.

Result story

Cameroon: Turning pages, transforming lives

  • Limited availability of textbooks has been a longstanding challenge that has impacted student learning.
  • The government of Cameroon, with support from GPE and the World Bank, is making books more affordable and accessible for students.
  • Over 4 million children in Cameroon now have access to affordable textbooks. And the student-to-textbook ratio has improved from 12 students for every book in 2016, to three essential textbooks for every two students in 2023.

Key data

17%

out-of-school rate for children of lower-secondary school age

40%

of children start learning one year before entering primary school

82%

of primary teachers have the minimum required qualifications

19%

of government expenditure on education

Grants

(data as of December 18, 2024)

 
  • Type: System capacity

    Years: 2024 - 2026

    Allocation: US$401,221

    Utilization: US$49,722

    Grant agent: WB

  • Type: Program development

    Years: 2024 - 2025

    Allocation: US$104,861

    Utilization: 0

    Grant agent: UNESCO

  • Type: Program development

    Years: 2024 - 2025

    Allocation: US$100,442

    Utilization: 0

    Grant agent: UNICEF

  • Type: System capacity

    Years: 2022 - 2025

    Allocation: US$400,000

    Utilization: US$375,601

    Grant agent: WB

  • Type: Program implementation and Multiplier

    Years: 2021 - 2027

    Allocation: US$53,800,000

    Utilization: US$17,678,751

    Grant agent: WB

Civil society engagement

As part of its investment in civil society advocacy and social accountability efforts, GPE’s Education Out Loud fund is supporting the Cameroon Education For All Network (CEFAN) for the 2024-2026 period. This builds on previous support from the Civil Society Education Fund (CSEF).

Learn more

Latest blogs and news

May 24, 2024
Cameroon: Turning pages, transforming lives
In Cameroon, the limited availability of school textbooks has been a longstanding challenge that has severely impacted student learning. With support from GPE and the World Bank, the government is making books more...