São Tomé and Príncipe

The government of Sao Tome and Principe developed an education sector plan, as well as an Educational Policy Charter 2012-2020 outlining priorities and strategies for the education sector.

The final objective of the government is to provide 12 years of free, quality education to all children in the country, as well as offer higher and technical education opportunities.

Although the country has achieved universal primary education, the system faces challenges with respect to efficiency, quality and governance. About 60% of primary education teachers are unqualified.

To achieve these objectives the plan outlines strategies to:

• Ensure, in a gradual and sustainable manner, universal access to 12 years of free, quality education.
• Develop quality technical and vocational secondary and higher education offerings.
• Develop the offer of quality higher education, integrated and adapted to the needs of the labor market.
• Implement a training and high-level training policy for teachers and other education officials to address the quality and efficiency challenges within the education system.
• Develop the institutional capacity of the ministry of education to ensure an effective management of education sector, in particular through the development of an Education Management Information System (EMIS).

• Sao Tome and Principe is part of the KIX Africa 21 hub.
• KIX research projects:
  • Improving Knowledge on Gender Norms to Promote Gender Equality in Schools in Africa
  • Observatory on COVID-19 Responses in Educational Systems in Africa
  • Using data for improving education equity and inclusion – MICS-EAGLE