Reimagining the current policy of decentralisation in Benin: the perspectives of teachers, parents and education officials

Eva Bulgrin
University of Sussex, United Kingdom

Beginning 1990, Benin followed the international trend to decentralise its governance system. In the 2009 policy, the government of Benin articulated the need to devolve and de-concentrate pre- and primary education, among other sectors. While the Incheon Declaration of the World Education Forum 2015 (UNESCO, 2015, p. 4) points out the importance of ‘legal and policy frameworks that promote […] participatory governance’, the Sustainable Development Goals no longer explicitly address good governance. The question of how to achieve ‘free, equitable and quality primary […] education’ (target 4.1.) in the decentralised context of Benin through an appropriate institutional setting remains central to my research.

My research explores the context of influences as it relates to educational decentralisation, the context of policy production and the context of practice(s) (Ball, 1993). This paper draws on 70 extensive bilateral and group interviews with high and middle-ranking officials from different Beninese ministries, town councils, and school actors. My findings suggest that centralisation rather than decentralisation is becoming prevalent despite advocacy by International Organisations in favour for decentralisation.

In this context, this paper focuses on how various actors at different levels involved in delivering pre- and primary education mediate the decentralisation policy. In particular, the paper explores their vision for ‘free, equitable and quality primary […] education’ (target 4.1.) in the context of the current policy framework. It argues that the aspirations of the population conflict with the political will of high-ranking education officials. By giving voice to my research participants, this paper sheds light on alternative narratives about how the governance of pre- and primary education in Benin can be reimagined. By doing so, it contributes to the understanding of how participatory governance may support the target of quality education.