Education crisis in Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso is located in a difficult context marked by years of numerous conflicts. This condition of general instability has led to the closure of a very high number of schools for security reasons. By the end of February 2023, there were 6,134 closed schools (24% of all academic facilities in the country), a 44% increase compared to March 2022 (4,258). As a result, over one million Burkinabe children are now without access to education.

In Burkina Faso, education represents an important aspect of the country's youth policy. In fact, Law Number 13-96/ADP of May 9, 1996, defines its educational orientation. According to this law, the general objectives pursued by the national education system are reflected in the capture of knowledge, attitudes, and skills useful for addressing life's problems, as well as providing education that adapts its content and methods to the country's economic, technological, social, and cultural evolution. Food instability is a determining factor because the security of one safe meal per day represents an incentive for many families to educate their children.

Like many countries in Central and Eastern Africa such as Cameroon, Mali, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burkina Faso, due to continual conflicts and food insecurity, faces a high rate of early school dropout, an insufficient number of schools, and a significant teacher shortage. All of this inevitably leads to a low literacy rate. Despite education being compulsory and free for all children aged 6 to 16, only 39 out of 100 children have the opportunity to attend school. The most affected regions by this phenomenon are the Sahel region in the east and the Boucle du Mouhoun region in the west of the country. In Pama, the capital of the Kompienga province, for example, six teachers and a few volunteers are responsible for more than 1,000 children. According to a local teacher, "For those of us who are still here, it's a very personal decision to stay." Of the approximately 31,000 teachers affected by the national education crisis, many of them remain and fight for education, which they recognize as a universal right for children. However, this situation turns education into a privilege rather than a right. In rural areas, the situation worsens as schools are often located several kilometers away from villages. Additionally, primary education is taught in French, a language often not spoken by parents, which means they are unable to assist their children. For this reason, many schools have tried in recent years to use the mother tongue and introduce French at a later stage.

The withdrawal of children from the school system almost always leads to their exploitation in labor contexts. Many also become victims of violence and illegal trafficking. With conditions that make it difficult to attend school and a culture that sees minors as an essential source of household support, child labor is not perceived as a problem but rather considered a natural and necessary occurrence. The common idea in many cases is that a child working in the fields does so for themselves as consumers of what they gather. The conditions created by low enrollment and internal conflicts within the country make Burkina Faso's economy very weak. According to CIA statistics, 7.7% of young people aged 15 to 24 are unemployed. Child labor and the lack of job opportunities for young people are interconnected challenges as they affect the transition paths and future professional lives of young individuals.

In a country where the average age is 17.9 years, and the literacy rate is around 36%, low enrollment can lead to long-term problems, not only in terms of future difficulties in the country's economic development but also for children who are deprived of a better future. "Most children have been left without access to education, robbed of their childhood and the possibility of future independence as adults and as citizens." This is why the National Director of the Norwegian Refugee Council in Burkina Faso, Hassane Hamadou, calls on the country's authorities and humanitarian organizations to organize themselves to put an end to this crisis. Despite the sound of gunshots during lessons and the increasingly scarce presence of teachers, around 300 schools have been reopened since last January, and this represents an important first step towards resolving this problem.

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