Project Context
““In the Abalak region of Niger, only one child in two goes to primary school and 86% of teachers are “contract workers” with no teacher training.”
Faced with this situation, the residents of Abalak and neighbouring Azawagh set up a Niger-led NGO, known by the acronym ONODEP and chaired by Mayor Billou Mohamed Moctar, to build and manage a school.
Project Objectives
The first goal : a school from nursery school to final year
- Primary school : about 200 pupils
- Secondary school : about 140 pupils
- High school : about 100 pupils
The future plan is to establish a vocational school for secondary school pupils.
School running expenses are covered in part by the parents.
30% of places are reserved for pupils whose families cannot afford the fees.
These pupils are selected on merit by a Committee where ONODEP, the parents’ committee, Abalak Town Council and the TANAT school itself, are represented.
The sponsorships for some of these pupils is managed by the TANAT Association in France, which enables the running expenses of the school to be covered.
The main targets are :
- At least 50% of pupils in the school should be girls.
- A pass rate (BEPC, BAC) higher than 80%
The Educational Project
- To welcome children, boys and girls, irrespective of social, cultural and religious background.
- To give the young people entrusted to Tanat school not just a sound academic education, but life skills that will properly prepare them for adult life as trustworthy men and women.
- To foster a family atmosphere that allows young people to feel loved, accepted, supported and valued.
This project is mirrored in the values that we strive to embrace within the TANAT School : kindness, honesty, solidarity, tolerance, respect, freedom and work.
The values of TANAT school
TANAT: An institution open to all, where each one feels respected in a family atmosphere conducive to work and success
OUR VALUES (pupils’ field)
Kindness :
- Be kind to one’s classmates : avoid jokes that are cruel or mean-spirited.
- Protect the weakest.
Honesty :
- Take responsibility for one’s words and actions.
- Learn how to recognize one’s qualities and faults.
Solidarity:
- Help the needy within the limit of one’s means (material, intellectual…)
- Encourage mutual assistance To care about mutual assistance
- Help those who are facing difficulties within one’s capabilities.
Rigour :
- Agree to and respect the rules of the community and those of the school.
- Undertake school activities with the greatest possible care (homework, etc)
Tolerance:
- Create an atmosphere of respect : child/child ; pupil/adult, child/adult.
- Civility : respecting the differences in origin and religion.
Freedom:
- Knowing how to listen to the other person and to speak out freely.
Work:
- Inspire a desire for learning and work that is done well. (so be careful with handwriting and the presentation of homework and notebooks)
- Seek to obtain meaningful results
Milestones
October 2009 – Primary school opens
Classes CI (nursery school) CP, CE1, CE2
Number of pupils: 120
October 2010
CM1 & CM2 classes open
Number of pupils: 180
October 2011 – Secondary school opens
Classes 5 and 6 open
Number of pupils: 227
October 2012
Class 4 opens
Number of pupils: 279
October 2013
Class 3 opens
Number of pupils: 324
October 2014 – High school opens
“Seconde” class opens
Number of pupils: 355
October 2015
“Première” class opens
Number of pupils: 377
October 2016
“Terminale” class opens
Number of pupils: 418