Mali and Canada have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in the education sector, with a focus on improving access to schooling and addressing challenges caused by insecurity in parts of the country.
On Monday in Bamako, Mali’s Minister of National Education, Amadou Sy Savané, held talks with Lee-Anne Herman, Chargé d’Affaires of the Canadian Embassy in Mali.
The meeting centred on Canadian-supported education programmes and ways to sustain learning in regions affected by violence.
According to figures from the Education Cluster, more than 2,000 schools were non-functional across Mali in 2025 due to insecurity and threats, leaving an estimated 610,000 students without access to education.
The impact has been most severe in the central and northern regions of the country.
Discussions highlighted the need to adapt educational cooperation to the current security context, particularly as school closures, population displacement, and safety concerns continue to disrupt learning.
Both sides emphasised the importance of maintaining support for vulnerable communities and ensuring continuity in education delivery.
The meeting forms part of ongoing consultations between Malian authorities and international partners engaged in the education sector. As challenges persist, stakeholders stress that close coordination remains essential to reducing the effects of the crisis on children’s schooling and safeguarding the future of education in Mali.
