To cope with the lack of furniture for schools in Madagascar, the Minister of National Education launched a controversial appeal for donations. Marie Michelle Sahondrarimalala called for “patriotism” and invited citizens to buy a table bench directly. A call which sparked indignation on social networks and among part of civil society.
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Having just been reappointed to her post, the Malagasy Minister of National Education has launched a controversial appeal for donations. According to her, there is a shortage of two million table benches for students in public schools in Madagascar and the state budget only allows funding for 45,000.
So, to make up the difference, the minister asks the Malagasy people to put their hands in their wallets. For the Ministry of National Education, a call for donations of school materials must reveal “how far citizens are prepared to contribute » to the development of Madagascar. But while with nearly 1,800 billion ariary, the Education budget is the third largest expenditure item in the State, this initiative is seen by many as an admission of mismanagement.
Especially since a week ago, during the first Council of Ministers of his new government, The head of state had expressed the desire that “Malagasy children study in modern establishments”.
“ We’re a little shocked by the statement. It’s not all about having exorbitantly expensive infrastructure », says Miary Ranaivoson, member of MoNEPT (national movement for education for all). And to add: “ Today, students sit on the floor. Tables and benches are the bare minimum necessary for the proper functioning of teaching. This call for donations demonstrates that vital needs such as tables and benches are not the ministry’s priority. “.
“The State no longer has any means”
Contacted by RFI, the Ministry of National Education speaks of a gesture dedicated to strengthening the patriotic spirit of citizens. Their donations must also run a business state in difficulty in recent years, CnapMad, where Malagasy people can directly order their tables and benches before donating them to the school of their choice.
For Paul Rabary, former Minister of National Education, the government is simply trying to cope with insufficient resources. “ It’s not a question of priorities because everything is a priority in education. I think that all initiatives are good to take. And the Minister’s call for donations is not such a bad thing. This somehow proves that the State is failing because the State no longer has any resources. But we must also face reality: Madagascar is a poor country and the Malagasy State is poor. “, he explains.
In Madagascar, a table bench costs on average 140,000 ariary, or more than half of the Malagasy minimum wage.