Proparco supports the development of the Mission laïque française
published on 28 February 2020
By granting 65 million euros to the Mission laïque française, historic operator of French education abroad, for projects in Morocco, Côte d'Ivoire, Lebanon, Egypt and Ethiopia, Proparco supports the development of innovative education in Africa and Middle East. This funding is also part of the development plan for French education in the world decided by the public authorities.
Despite an important increase in school enrolment in recent years, emerging countries still face two major challenges: keeping children in the school system, and improving the quality of education. In this context, private education broadens the range of education offer, and represents a complementary, high-quality offer.
French education has long been an important part of the private education landscape, and its educational quality is recognised. Created in 1902, the Mission laïque française (Mlf) is a non-profit association of public utility, operating and supporting a network of 133 French establishments abroad with the aim of teaching local students. It provides schooling to more than 60,000 students in 39 countries, of which 30,000 in its own schools. Mlf has developed a multicultural pedagogy, reinforced by the learning of three languages: students are taught in French, but also study the language and culture of the host country, and English.
Through an overall funding of 65 million euros, Proparco supports the modernisation and expansion of the Mlf network, especially in non-French-speaking countries such as Ethiopia and Egypt. A 60 million euros loan will finance the rehabilitation and expansion projects of the Lycée Français in Addis Ababa and the Lycée Verdun in Beirut, the expansion of the Lycée Français in Alexandria which will double its students capacity, and the relocation of the André Malraux primary school in Rabat.
An additional 5 million euros grant will help finance the development of two regional training centres for teachers in Morocco and Côte d'Ivoire, as well as an energy efficiency and sustainable development programme to support some of Mlf’s construction projects financed by Proparco.
An innovative project, with economic, social and environmental impacts
Proparco's funding responds to a need for quality education in the targeted countries, which face growing demand. It will help improve the education offer, by renovating and increasing the capacity of schools, and will also support French-speaking abroad.
The training centres for Mlf and other private institutions’ teachers in Morocco and Côte d'Ivoire will contribute to improve the quality of education by enabling more than 7,000 teachers to benefit from pedagogy-focused training between 2020 and 2025.
The project could also support up to 5,000 jobs. In addition, the energy efficiency component of the project is expected to have a positive impact on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and on the adaptation to climate change through improved energy and environmental performance, and environmental certification of buildings, especially in Egypt, Ethiopia and Morocco.
This project will therefore contribute to several of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): 4 - Quality education, 8 - Decent work and economic growth, and 13 – Climate action.
