DISPARITES GEOGRAPHIQUES DE L ENSEIGNEMENT PRIMAIRE ENTRE LE MILIEU URBAIN ET RURAL DANS LA REGION DE ZINDER, NIGER

Geographical disparities in primary education in Niger, and particularly in Zinder, constitute a major obstacle to achieving the goal of education for all. This study examines the disparities in school enrolment between the city of Zinder (the regional capital) and the ten departments, using longitudinal data from the Regional Directorate of National Education (DREN) covering the period 2018-2023. The methodological approach combines a quantitative analysis of educational indicators with a qualitative survey of institutional and community stakeholders. The results highlight a persistent structural divide : the gross enrolment rate (GER) in the city of Zinder reached 105 per cent in 2023, compared with an average of 53 per cent across all departments, representing a gap of 52 percentage points to the detriment of rural areas. An analysis of school infrastructure reveals the extremely precarious conditions in rural areas, with 44 per cent of classrooms housed in thatched huts and 42.3 per cent of pupils in multi-age classes in 2023, compared with just 1.2 per cent in urban areas. Interviews conducted with inspectors, educational advisers and members of the Decentralised School Management Committees (CGDES) confirm these quantitative findings and shed light on the social and institutional mechanisms through which inequalities are created and perpetuated.