As state coffers continue to be drained, Algerian Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahya said the state can no longer sustain the funding of primary schools. “The state of finances in our country does not help us address all requests to improve school conditions in primary schools,” Ouyahya told MPs, adding that local elected members will have to find solutions as the treasury is unable to continue financing primary schools. Analysts see that rich communities could finance public schools but children in rural areas will be severely affected by a slash in state funding. Algeria has nearly 19,000 primary schools that absorb a budget of $6.22 billion. The decision to slash funding for schools is likely to further ignite tension in the Algerian society where state subsidies have long been used to buy social peace.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 24, 2018 17:26 UTC