Kaya: The Minister of Basic Education, Literacy and the Promotion of National Languages, Jacques Sosth¨ne Dingara, invited education stakeholders on Friday in Kaya to "observe breaks" to ensure the success of the educational reforms undertaken by the Burkinabe government during direct exchanges with them.
According to Burkina Information Agency, during the discussions, Minister Dingara focused on several key areas of change deemed priorities. He particularly emphasized the reorganization of educational support, to enable supervisors to provide "close and continuous" support to teachers in classrooms throughout the year.
The minister also mentioned a new direction for preschool education, driven by the desire to generalize access to education from an early age. "The vision (...) is to ensure that children have access to education from an early age (...) and to ensure that preschool is no longer a luxury," he explained, calling for more inclusive care for children aged 3 to 5.
Regarding the financing of the education system, the head of the Basic Education department advocated for endogenous financing, supported by internal mobilization and shared efforts. He believed that this option involves "sacrifices from all sides" and the need to abandon certain practices in order to support the widespread implementation of reforms.
Another key point raised by the minister concerned community participation. He inquired about mechanisms that allow the community to contribute more to children's education. This approach, he said, has led to the reform of school support structures, particularly the establishment of school councils.
A presentation on the implementation of educational reforms in the Kouls©, made by the regional director in charge of preschool, primary and non-formal education, Moussa Ou©draogo, served as the basis for the day's discussions. According to the minister, this meeting is part of a series of tours undertaken in the regions, aimed at sharing the vision of the reforms and gathering concerns from the ground, in a dynamic of national refounding.
Following the meeting, Jacques Sosth¨ne Dingara expressed his satisfaction with the discussions, noting that they had fostered better mutual understanding, addressed concerns, and shed light on certain areas of uncertainty. He expressed his hope that the anticipated changes would translate into concrete action on the ground.
The education stakeholders present reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the ongoing reforms. They also called for increased community and institutional support.