The Minister of Nursery and Primary Education, Salimane Karimou, and technical and financial partners including Educo, on Tuesday launched the campaign to distribute school kits for the 2025-2026 school year. The official handing-over ceremony for the said kits took place at EPP Kpassakanmin in Lalo, before a distinguished audience that included political and administrative authorities from various levels, the beneficiaries, the teaching staff and the local population.
The 2025-2026 school year opened under the sign of solidarity and partnership. In Lalo, in the Couffo department, the Beninese government and its technical and financial partners officially launched, on Tuesday, the national campaign to distribute school kits.
Before an audience of pupils, teachers, parents and political figures, the representative of the Agence française de développement (AFD) recalled the importance of education as a lever for transformation. “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”, she said, quoting Nelson Mandela.
192,800 school kits distributed
In total, 192,800 school kits will be given free to Beninese children this year. The operation primarily targets vulnerable families and the majority of beneficiaries will be girls. “These kits represent direct support to parents and an investment in the children’s future”, insisted the AFD representative.
This initiative is led by the government with the support of numerous partners including UNICEF, Plan International Bénin, Educo, Handicap International, as well as Swiss cooperation and the Netherlands.
The Minister of Nursery and Primary Education, Salimane Karimou, reminded that education remains an inalienable right guaranteed by the Beninese Constitution. “Today’s children will be tomorrow’s adults. It is our duty to give them the means to flourish and to contribute to the nation’s development”, he stressed, praising the mobilization of financial partners.
Contributions are varied: UNICEF supports more than 145,000 beneficiaries, Plan International more than 23,000, Educo nearly 11,000. The combined budget approaches one billion CFA francs.
Education for all, a priority for Educo
For partners, the challenge goes beyond simply providing school supplies. It is about supporting a national strategy for inclusive and sustainable education. A mobilization platform expanded to the private sector, philanthropic foundations and even citizens is being created in order to sustain and scale up the program.
The director of Educo Benin, Tora Sévérin, emphasized the necessity of this collective commitment.
“We are contributing to the provision of 11,000 kits, valued at 60 million CFA francs. It is our way of supporting the government in its mission to ensure access to education for all. ”
“This year, our action mainly reaches the Borgou department, but also certain areas of Couffo and Atlantique,” explained Tora Sévérin. In Cotonou, the support specifically targets children from the fishing market, as part of an educational alternative designed to help them remain in school.
The director of Educo Benin also delivered a message of encouragement to the beneficiary pupils.
“We wish our children a successful start to the school year. May they apply themselves in their learning for the pride of their parents, their teachers and to contribute tomorrow to the development of the country. ”
Advice that the pupils of EPP Kpassakanmin intend, in any case, to follow to the letter. Through their spokesperson, they promised to make good use of these school kits ” and to work hard in class to succeed and to take part in the development of our dear country Benin.” It should be noted that choreographies performed by the pupils enlivened this very festive ceremony.
Some images from the ceremony
