IMF-西非经货联盟的教育_现状与未来之路（英）-2025_24页_1mb

This IMF analysis underscores the critical need for WAEMU countries to prioritize education to achieve sustainable economic growth and inclusive development. The current education outcomes in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) are comparatively weak, characterized by low years of schooling, enrollment rates, and significant gender disparities, despite progress since the 1990s. Education quality issues, including underqualified teachers and inadequate facilities, contribute to suboptimal learning outcomes and hinder human capital accumulation.

Economically, improving education could yield substantial macroeconomic benefits, estimated to boost per capita income by up to 13% over a decade through enhanced labor productivity, innovation, and reduced poverty. The WAEMU's demographic advantage—high youth population and fertility rates—further emphasizes the urgency for investments in education to capture a potential demographic dividend.

Key recommendations include safeguarding education spending, which has increased but remains insufficient in basic school infrastructure; closing gender gaps to improve inclusiveness and labor market outcomes; enhancing education quality through teacher training and regional harmonization; and strengthening regional coordination to address cross-border challenges like skill shortages and climate shocks.

Overall, the paper calls for integrated national and regional policies to ensure education systems are resilient, equitable, and aligned with economic needs.