Editor’s Note: This article is part of an ongoing WPR series about education policy in various countries around the world.
Senegal’s system of Islamic schools, known as daaras, has been a frequent target of criticism by human rights groups, who condemn the practice of having students—known as talibé, or disciples—beg in the streets. Last year, President Macky Sall drew praise for ordering that talibé be taken off the streets and returned to their parents. However, the process of modernizing Senegal’s daara system has been slow. In an email interview, Sarah Mathewson, Africa program manager for Anti-Slavery International, describes the history of the system and efforts to reform it.
WPR: What is the current rate of education access in Senegal, and what are the challenges to expanding it?