BENIN YOUTH ASSESSMENT REPORT Submitted in response to: RFA 680-11-003 Equip 3: Earning, Learning and Skill Development Opportunities for Out-of-School Children and Youth Submitted by: Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) September 30, 2011 Educational Quality Benin Youth Employment and Improvement Program 3 EntrepreneurialImprovement Skills Needs Program 3 Assessment EDC/EQUIP3 Benin Youth Assessment List of Acronyms ABC : Afokantan Benin Cashew AFD : French Development Agency ANPE : National Employment Agency (L’Agence Nationale pour la Promotion de l’Emploi) AQP : Vocational Skills License (Attestation de Qualification Professionnelle ) BAC : High School Diploma (Baccalauréat) BEAT : Tropical Agriculture Certificate (Brevet d’Etude Agricole Tropicale) BEPC : Primary Cycle Certificate (Brevet d’Etude du Premier Cycle) BTS : Higher Technical Certificate (Brevet de Technicien Supérieur) CAP : Professional Aptitude Certificate (Certificat d’Aptitude Professionnelle) CEP : Primary School Diploma (Certificat d’Etude Primaire Elémentaire) CESLY : Core Education Skills for Liberian Youth CETA : College of Agriculture and Technology (Collège d’Enseignement Technique Agricole) CM : Occupational Center (Centre Métier) CNAB : Benin National Confederation of Artisans (Confédération Nationale des Artisans du Bénin) CQP : Vocational Skills Certificate (Certificat de Qualification Professionnelle) CQM : Occupational Skills Certificate (Certificat de Qualification au Métier) CRS : Catholic Relief Services DANIDA : Danish International Development Agency DEA : Post-Graduate Diploma/Doctorate (Diplôme d’Etude Approfondie) DEAT : Tropical Agriculture Diploma (Diplôme d’Etude Agricole Tropicale) DFA : Apprenticeship Completion Diploma (Diplôme de Fin d’Apprentissage) DTI : Technical School Diploma (Diplôme de Technicien Industriel) DTS : Higher Technical Diploma (Diplôme de Technicien Supérieur) EFAT : Traditional Apprenticeship Completion Exams (Examens de Fin d'Apprentissage Traditionnel) EDC/EQUIP3 Benin Youth Assessment EMICoV : Integrated Modular Survey of Household Living Conditions (l'Enquête Modulaire Intégrée sur les Conditions de vie des Ménages) FGD : Focus Group Discussion FODEFCA : Fund for the Development of Continuing Vocational Training and Learning (Le Fonds de Développement de la Formation Professionnelle Continue et de l'Apprentissage) GIZ : German Company for International Cooperation GoB : Government of Benin HITT : High Impact Tourism Training ILO: International Labor Office INSAE : National Institute of Statistics and Economic Analysis (l'Institut National de Statistique et de l'Analyse Economique) KAB: Know About Business Program MEMP : Ministry of Nursery and Primary Education (Ministère des Enseignements Maternel et Primaire) MIS : Management Information System MFI : Microfinance Institutions NGO : Non-Governmental Organization PAEFE: Project to Support Training and Education for Excluded Children (Projet d’Appui à l’Education et à la Formation des Enfants) PAPEJ : Project Promoting the Employment Youth (Le Projet d’Appui à la Promotion d’Emploi des Jeunes) PCA : Accelerated Course Program (Programme des Cours Accelerees) SIYB : Start and Improve Your Business Program SNV : Netherlands Development Organization SSA : Sub-Saharan Africa TVET : Technical and Vocational Education and Training YSO : Youth-Serving Organization EDC/EQUIP3 Benin Youth Assessment BENIN YOUTH ASSESSMENT REPORT Table of Contents Acronyms EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................................1 Key Findings ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Recommendations ........................................................................................................................... 3 I. PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................5 Purpose of the Assessment .............................................................................................................. 5 Assessment Objectives .................................................................................................................... 5 II. ASSESSMENT DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY ................................................................................6 II.1 Assessment Team ...................................................................................................................... 6 II.2.Principles .................................................................................................................................... 7 II.3 Process ....................................................................................................................................... 7 II.4 Study Limitations ..................................................................................................................... 10 III. FINDINGS: THE SITUATION OF YOUTH EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT IN BENIN ...... 11 III.1 Profiles of Beninese Youth ...................................................................................................... 11 III.2 Profile of Youth-Serving Organizations ................................................................................... 18 III.3 Profile of the Informal and Formal Economy and Employment as Relevant to Youth ........... 21 III.4 Profile of Technical and Vocational Training Offerings for Youth .......................................... 27 III.5 Profile of Alternative Education Offerings for Youth .............................................................. 35 III.6 Profile of Donor & Government of Benin Youth Policies and Programs ................................ 38 III.7 Overview of Relevant Youth Programs in West Africa ........................................................... 42 IV. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BENIN OUT-OF SCHOOL YOUTH PROGRAMMING .............................. 44 IV.1 Youth Beneficiaries with Greatest Unmet Needs & Most Potential for Impact ..................... 44 IV.2 Support to Youth Serving Organizations ................................................................................ 44 IV.3 Vocational & Employment Training ........................................................................................ 45 IV.4 Alternative Education/”2nd Chance” Programs for youth ..................................................... 47 IV.5 Potential Partners within Government of Benin and among YSOs ........................................ 47 IV.6 Private Sector Engagement .................................................................................................... 48 EDC/EQUIP3 Benin Youth Assessment V. A WAY FORWARD ....................................................................................................................... 49 VI. SOURCES .................................................................................................................................. 50 VII. ANNEXES ............................................................................................................................................................. 54 Annex 1: List of Key Informants & Organizations Interviewed .............................................................. 55 Annex 2: Schedule of Activities .......................................................................................................... 60 Annex 3 : Table of Key Findings & Recommendations by Objective ..................................................... 70 Annex 4: Youth Focus Group Methodology & Protocol ....................................................................... 74 Tables/Figures Table 1: Literacy rate by area of residence (in %) ......................................................................................... 12 Table 2: Youth Literacy Rates by Gender (in %) ............................................................................................ 12 Table 3: Labor force participation (10 years +) by department and gender (in %) ...................................... 14 Table 4: Youth Serving Organizations Interviewed and Visited .................................................................... 18 Table 5: Sectors of Employment, 2006-2007 (%) .......................................................................................... 24 Table 6: Distribution of Institutions Offering CQP ........................................................................................ 30 Table 7: List of Centres de Metier (CM) ........................................................................................................ 31 Figure 1: Rate of Workforce Activity by Sex and Age (2006) ........................................................................ 15 Figure 2: Education System and Basic Training in Benin ............................................................................... 28 EDC/EQUIP3 Benin Youth Assessment EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EDC is pleased to submit the final Benin Youth Assessment Report. This report is based on a request from USAID/Benin under the EQUIP3 program to conduct a Benin youth assessment mission with the purpose of: i) providing USAID with in-depth information about Benin’s large out-of-school youth population--their level of education and/or training, the jobs they have or want, and the employment and entrepreneurial skills they need--taking into consideration gender, age and educational background,