Education in Burkina Faso

The Education Act makes schooling compulsory from age 6 to 16."Burkina Faso". [http://www.dol.gov/ilab/media/reports/iclp/tda2005/tda2005.pdf 2005 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109071239/http://www.dol.gov/ilab/media/reports/iclp/tda2005/tda2005.pdf |date=January 9, 2014 }}. Bureau of International Labor Affairs, U.S. Department of Labor (2006). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. The official language for education is French.

By law, education is free, but the government does not have adequate resources to provide universal free primary education. Children are required to pay for school supplies, and communities are frequently responsible for constructing primary school buildings and teachers’ housing. Children from poor families can continue to receive tuition-free education through junior high and high school, if their grades qualify.

In 2002, the gross primary enrollment rate was 46 percent, and the net primary enrollment rate was 36 percent. Gross and net enrollment ratios are based on the number of students formally registered in primary school and therefore do not necessarily reflect actual school attendance. In 1998, 26.5 percent of children ages 6 to 14 years were attending school. As of 2001, 66 percent of children who started primary school were likely to reach grade 5.

School conditions are usually reasonable with very basic equipment. Legally the size limit for one class is 65 students, but in many rural areas classes are much bigger because of the lack of schools. If a school is full, children may get turned away and will have to try again the next year.

There is an International School of Ouagadougou open to foreign nationals and Burkinabè.

A week runs from Monday to Saturday, with the schools closed on Thursday. Burkina Faso has a national curriculum. The subjects taught include Production, where children may learn to plant maize and trees or keep chickens, on school land. They have a break between noon and 3pm.

File:Bâtiment de l'Université de Ouagadougou.jpg

As of 2010 there were three main public universities in Burkina Faso: The Polytechnic University of Bobo-Dioulasso, the University of Koudougou and the University of Ouagadougou. The first private higher education institution was established in 1992 and the Université Libre de Ouagadougou{{cite web|url=http://ulburkina.org/|title=Université Libre du Burkina – L'université privée de Ouagadougou}} began operations in 2000. The Université Catholique de l'Afrique de l'Ouest opened its Burkina campus in Bobo-Dioulasso in 2000 with a food and agriculture speciality, and the Catholic {{ill|Université Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin|fr}} in 2004 in Ouagadougou. Supervision rates are different from one university to another. At the University of Ouagadougou there is one lecturer for every 24 students, while at The Polytechnic University of Bobo-Dioulasso they have one lecturer for every three students.

Higher education provision is highly centralized in Ouagadougou. In 2010/2011 the University of Ouagadougou had around 40,000 students (83% of the national population of university students), the University of Koudougou had 5,600 students, and the Polytechnic University of Bobo-Dioulasso had 2,600.Government of France, MINISTERE DES AFFAIRES ETRANGERES ET EUROPEENNES, AMBASSADE DE FRANCE AU BURKINA FASO, FICHE BURKINA FASO (French) {{cite web |url=http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/IMG/pdf/BURKINA_18-5-11__2_.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2016-11-24 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161231172633/http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/IMG/pdf/BURKINA_18-5-11__2_.pdf |archive-date=2016-12-31 }} The private universities each had less than 1,000 students.

The University of Ouagadougou closed its doors for two months in 2008, following student protests about working conditions and non-payment of their grants.{{cite web|url=http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20080911164127977|title=BURKINA FASO: Ouagadougou University reopens - University World News|website=www.universityworldnews.com|access-date=26 April 2018}} One outcome was the creation of University of Ouagadougou II{{cite web|url=http://www.univ-ouaga2.bf/|title=Université Ouaga II|website=www.univ-ouaga2.bf|access-date=26 April 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171119001722/http://www.univ-ouaga2.bf/|archive-date=19 November 2017}} 20km away at Saaba, to relieve pressure on overcrowded facilities.{{ill|Université Ouaga II|fr}}{{Circular reference|date=December 2017}} It now teaches the law, politics, economics and management students formerly at the main campus and students receive University of Ouagadougou degrees. There are also online classes through the Institut de Formation Ouverte à Distance (IFOAD).

In 2014, University of Ouagadougou received funding from OPEC for new facilities.{{cite web|url=http://www.ofid.org/NewsEvents/ArticleId/3169/Burkina-Faso-to-strengthen-higher-education-sector-with-OFID-loan|title=Burkina Faso to strengthen higher education sector with OFID loan|website=ofid.org|access-date=26 April 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180426154322/http://www.ofid.org/NewsEvents/ArticleId/3169/Burkina-Faso-to-strengthen-higher-education-sector-with-OFID-loan|archive-date=26 April 2018}} None of the country's universities are ranked in higher education listings like the Time Higher World Universities, probably because the language of instruction is French, lecturers do not have time for much research, there is reliance on international aid to support some aspects of public education, and class sizes at the main public university are large.{{cite web|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings|title=Rankings|website=timeshighereducation.com|access-date=26 April 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171102231424/https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings|archive-date=2 November 2017}} Nonetheless, there are opportunities to study right through to doctoral level.

The University Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso are composed of five levels of decision making: the board of directors, the university assembly, the university council, institutions, and departments.{{citation needed|date=October 2014}}

• The number of actual schools (for primary)
• A shortage of qualified instructors (for higher education)
• Families have to pay for school supplies and school fees
• Families have very low income
• Sending a child (or children) to school limits the money being earned for the family
• Many families are only able to send one child to school, leaving the others to earn money for the family. They usually send the oldest able male.
• Language barrier. Education is mainly conducted in French, which only 15% of Burkinabè can speak, rather than in first languages of the country.{{citation needed|date=October 2014}}

{{reflist}}

• MapZones [http://www.mapzones.com/world/africa/burkina_faso/educationindex.php Burkina Faso Education]. Retrieved Oct 27, 2004.
• U.S. Department of State [https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2834.htm Background Note: Burkina Faso]. Retrieved Oct 27, 2004.
• Oxfam's Cool Planet [https://web.archive.org/web/20040812032400/http://www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/ontheline/explore/journey/burkina/prteduc.htm Education in Burkina Faso]. Retrieved Oct, 27, 2004.
• Guenda, Wendengoudi [https://web.archive.org/web/20041113183939/http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/soe/cihe/inhea/profiles/Burkina_Faso.htm Burkina Faso Higher Education Profile]. Retrieved Oct 28, 2004.
• Paper for All [http://www.paper4all.org Non-profit (charity) that provides academic resources to children in Ouagagoudou, Burkina Faso].

• [http://www.wikieducator.org/ICT4Africa/Country_Report_Burkina_Faso WikiEducator, "ICT4Africa/Country Report Burkina Faso"]

{{Burkina Faso topics}}

{{World topic|Education in|noredlinks=yes}}

{{Education in Africa}}