US embassy cable - 04DJIBOUTI1393

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DJIBOUTI 001393 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF, AF/E AND AF/RSA 
STATE ALSO PASS USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, EAID, SCUL, DJ 
SUBJECT: USG-DONATED SCHOOL KITS ELICIT SUPPORT AND ALSO 
SOME CRITICISM 
 
 
1. (U) Summary: On October 21 and October 30, Ambassador and 
USAID Director joined Djiboutian officials and local UNICEF 
Director Thomas Davin, in the official unveiling and 
distribution of school kits provided by the Ministry of 
Education to primary school children in Djibouti under a 
USAID education grant of USD 1.6 million.  In the October 30 
event, which took place at Balbala Primary School in one of 
the poorest neighborhoods in the city of Djibouti, Prime 
Minister Dileita Mohamed Dileita praised the project and 
thanked the people of the U.S. for their support to education 
and economic development in Djibouti. In a surprising 
balanced article in the government-controlled newspaper La 
Nation, parents of children expressed both positive and 
negative views of the U.S. contribution.  End summary. 
 
2. (U) On October 21 and October 30, Ambassador and USAID 
Director joined Djiboutian officials and local UNICEF 
Director Thomas Davin, in the official unveiling and 
distribution of school kits provided by the Ministry of 
Education to primary school children in Djibouti under a 
USAID education grant of USD 1.6 million.  The distribution 
is part of a nationwide program in Djibouti that will see 
46,500 kits, containing exercise books, pencils, slate, 
eraser, pens, crayons, ruler and school bag, distributed to 
primary students in Djibouti's public school system.  The 
distribution will also include 750 instructor and classroom 
kits containing blackboard pens and other items for use by 
Djibouti's primary school teachers. 
 
------------------------------- 
Government Support for Project 
------------------------------- 
 
3. (U) During the October 30 ceremony, both Prime Minister 
Dileita and Minister of Education Absieh thanked the 
Ambassador, USAID Director and the people of the U.S. for 
their support to education and economic development in 
Djibouti.  They expressed joy and satisfaction at the kits 
and extolled parents to send their children to school and 
extolled children to encourage their friends to come to 
school and remain in school.  For her part, the Ambassador 
stated that access to basic education is a right of every 
child.  She said she hoped the kits would help equip the 
students of Djibouti for their future this year, next year 
and for years to come. 
 
----------------------------------- 
Encouraging Education for All Youth 
----------------------------------- 
 
4. (U) The kits, designed to reduce the heavy burden on 
parents to purchase school materials for their children, are 
part of a campaign to encourage more of Djibouti's children 
of school age, especially girls, to enroll in school and 
remain in school. School fees have already been eliminated by 
the Government of Djibouti as part of its reform program and 
to encourage parents to send children to school.  School 
enrollment is currently at 53 percent overall in Djibouti, up 
from 39 percent in 1999 when education reforms began. Still, 
it is estimated that over 68,000 children of school age in 
Djibouti are not enrolling in local educational institutions. 
 
 
5. (U) USAID's support program for education reform also 
includes improvement in access to education through 
rehabilitation of city and rural school infrastructure, 
provision of school equipment, improvement in learning 
through training and in service training of teachers, 
supervisors and school inspectors.  It also includes 
development of a teachers' handbook, establishment of teacher 
resource centers in each of the five provincial districts, 
encouragement of community support and participation in 
school maintenance, increased girls' education and non-formal 
education activities. 
 
----------------------- 
Not Without Detractors 
----------------------- 
 
6. (U) In a surprisingly balanced October 24 article carried 
in the government newspaper La Nation, several parents were 
polled about their views on the efficacy of the kits.  Some 
expressed concern that the kits had arrived a bit late in the 
school year, and that most parents had already provided the 
essentials to their children.  Nevertheless, they stated, 
this donation should be continued in the future.  Others said 
the kits would permit them to save money in order to buy 
better clothes for their children or spend on other 
scholastic materials.  For others, the money might have been 
better spent on other items.  These included a first meal at 
school or, simply, daily milk, especially for students 
obliged to attend school on an empty stomach.  Still, other 
parents asked why the initiative of school kits was extended 
only to public primary schools.  They argued that private 
schools are not uniquely attended by rich students. 
 
7. (U) There were other parents who expressed the view in the 
La Nation article that they were not convinced of the 
practicality of the kit project and who said that they did 
not think the kits would permit much savings.  The costs, 
they said, were merely a "drop in the ocean" when compared 
with what was needed to educate a child.  Others doubted that 
the Ministry of Education could sustain such a project for 
the long term and questioned whether this year's donation was 
merely part of an electoral campaign. (Comment: President 
Guelleh runs for re-election in May, 2005.  End comment)  The 
article concluded by stating that it is "access to education" 
which in the end will enable Djibouti's students "to fully 
integrate into the world of the new millennium and become 
responsible adults of tomorrow and future leaders of the 
country." 
 
------------------------ 
A Plan for Distribution 
------------------------ 
 
8. (U) The Ministry of Education's distribution plan for the 
school kits entails dissemination in the five provinces of 
the country between October 30 and November 3.  United States 
Military Civilian Affairs at Camp Lemonier and the Djiboutian 
National Army will jointly provide logistical support to 
regional governors (Commissars), school inspectors, and the 
community in this effort. 
RAGSDALE