A government primary school building comprising three classrooms in Gbandjajougou village located in Sinematiali, 630 km north of Abidjan has been renovated by the UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI).

The project, estimated at CFA 11.8 million francs (23,600 USD), was part of UNOCI's quick impact project programme and was handed over to the authorities on 18 October 2014. The head of the UNOCI delegation at the handing-over ceremony, Marta Romero said "we believe education is indispensable to the progress and development of the country."

Earlier the pedagogic adviser at the primary education inspectorate, Kone Brahima welcomed the "precious gift" to the village and called on parents to massively send their children to school, especially the young girls, "because that is where they truly belong."

A senior official of the Sinematiali Prefecture, Etienne Beni Koffi urged the pupils and teachers to improve the results of the school in order to benefit from similar gestures. Speaking on behalf of his fellow pupils, Kadodjobe Yakouba expressed gratitude for the renovation which he said had "brought smiles on their faces and would enable them work under better conditions."

A spokesman for the elites of the village, Yeo Gaoussou enumerated a number of grievances including the need to build a health center and a dam as well as the electrification of the village.

The Gbandjajougou government primary school provided with two buildings and six classrooms has an enrolment of 243 pupils including 96 girls coming from 13 villages in the area.