Senegal is set to embark on a groundbreaking mission to eradicate 7,227 temporary school shelters nationwide through an unprecedented partnership between the Ministry of National Education and the Ministry of the Armed Forces.
The Emergency Program for the Resorption of Temporary Shelters (PURAP) will be officially launched on July 3, 2025, in Sédhiou, a region symbolically chosen for its high need for improved educational infrastructure.
This joint initiative, in line with President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye’s directives, seeks to address a critical educational emergency by replacing fragile makeshift classrooms with durable, permanent structures.
Ministers Moustapha M. Guirassy (National Education) and General (2S) Birame Diop (Armed Forces) will lay the foundation stone in Sédhiou, marking the start of what the government describes as a “national-scale project” that leverages the technical and logistical expertise of the armed forces to enhance learning environments across Senegal.
The military’s role is pivotal: their experience in engineering and managing large-scale projects will be instrumental in meeting the considerable logistical challenges presented by PURAP.
This collaboration aims to ensure that the replacement of these temporary shelters proceeds efficiently and within optimal timeframes.
Ahead of the launch, the ministers are scheduled to visit the Nation-Army High School for Quality and Equity (LYNAQE) in Sédhiou — a flagship institution embodying the success of the education-defense partnership.
LYNAQE serves as a model for how military and educational sectors can work hand in hand to raise standards and equity in education.
PURAP forms part of a broader governmental strategy to modernize Senegal’s education system and tackle regional disparities in access to quality schooling.
The program’s ambitious scope underscores the state’s commitment to mobilising all available resources to swiftly improve teaching and learning conditions, particularly in underserved areas.
As Senegal moves forward with PURAP, hopes are high that this bold initiative will create safer, more sustainable learning spaces for thousands of children, fostering better educational outcomes across the nation.
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