by 2015, in accordance with the provisions of the Millennium Development Goals. Also, at the beginning of the school year, in October, 2006, the Beninese State declared public primary education free of charge. Support measures have been put in place to make this decision effective and to promote access to education and schooling for all. The State also adopted some strategies and strives to improve the quality of education and the working and living conditions of teachers. Measures aimed at making school fees free of charge are not yet applicable to Secondary and Technical Education nonetheless, since the beginning of the 2006 school year, these fees have been standardised countrywide. At the beginning of 2001-2002, a second university was opened in Benin in Parakou, North of Benin pursuant to decree n°2001-365 of 18 September 2001. The budget allocated to Education has been on the rise. From 53,750,337000 FCFA, with 30,706,775,000 FCFA allocated to primary education in 2003, this amount rose to 82,141,821,000 FCFA in 2006, of this amount, 51,570,764,000 went to primary education. Thanks to these efforts, Government has : - attained high gross enrolment rates (cf. Annexe V) ; - increased the success rate ; - and reduced the dropout rate (cf. annex V). The on-going sensitisation and different programmes formulated by development partners (UNICEF, USAID), State organs, and some Non Governmental Organisations have contributed to the retention of girls in school and the promotion of their schooling. Literacy classes were also organised for the elderly and a Ministry for literacy and the promotion of the local languages set up. - 16 -