Benin faces challenges in achieving universal primary education by 2015 as outlined in the Millennium Development Goals. While the government is committed and donors provide support, Benin remains far from the education goals. Interviews found that accountability within the government is lacking, as officials do not see the need to report on their actions. Decentralizing the education system could help but most local governments currently lack the required capacities. The central government will need to continue its role in the short term while also enforcing accountability mechanisms and performance criteria throughout the responsibility chain.