Benin: 752 million FCFA worth of school kits for 145,580 learners

On Tuesday, 8 September 2026, Benin launched the national campaign for the free distribution of school kits for the 2026-2027 school year in Touncountouna, Atacora. A total of 145,580 learners are targeted by the operation, with a total investment of 752,393,674 FCFA.

Now in its eighth consecutive year, the campaign is supported by several partners, including AFD, UNICEF, Plan International Benin, Educo, WeWorld, Vinci Energies, Action Education, MTN Benin, Graines de Paix, and OFMAS. Its goal is to reduce the financial burden on families, improve learning conditions, and encourage children to stay in school, especially in rural areas.

The number of beneficiaries announced this year is lower than that of the 2025-2026 campaign, which targeted 190,800 schoolchildren across the country. This represents 45,220 fewer beneficiaries, a decrease of about 23.7% from one campaign to the next.

The launch took place at the Touncountouna Public Primary School. Dèwanou Avodagbé, chief of staff at the Ministry of Early Childhood and Primary Education, represented the minister. The distribution will then continue nationwide for the selected learners.

Just days before the start of the school year,

The operation takes place during the pre-school week, set from 7 to 11 September 2026. Official classes are scheduled to resume on Monday, 14 September in the nursery, primary, and secondary schools following the 2026-2027 academic calendar.

Preparations for this school year also include the production of French and mathematics activity notebooks as well as reading booklets for CI and CP classes, for which a budget of 2.8 billion FCFA has been allocated. These various resources aim to ensure that students have the necessary supplies and educational materials from the start of the school year.