Mali, in choosing democratic education within a decentralised context, has made a clear choice as to the importance of the role that communities and territorial collectivities should play in the profound change and reform of the educational system. This reform will only happen if the communities, territorial collectivities, and all the actors concerned are truly committed to the issue of education. To reach the objective of basic education for all, a reform of the education system was vital, with new orientations and strategies. This article describes how the Government of Mali, in agreement with its technical and financial partners, prepared and implemented the Ten-Year Educational Development Programme.