Senegal has a young population, with about half of its 18 million people aged below 19. This indicates a potentially high demand for education. Of those aged six to 11, however, 41% are out of school. In the age group 12 to 18, 43% aren’t in school. Statistics show, too, that the enrolment numbers of girls decrease as they advance in grades. To understand these dynamics, the African Population and Health Research Center carried out a two-year study on girls’ education and wellbeing in Senegal. The Conversation Africa asked Benta A. Abuya, a lead researcher on the study, to unpack the findings.
