Hanoi:The number of public preschool centers in Burkina Faso is set to increase significantly, rising from around 700 in 2024 to over 2,726 by the 2025-2026 period. This nearly fourfold expansion was announced by Jacques Sosthène Dingara, Minister of National Education, Literacy and the Promotion of National Languages, during a dialogue with the public at the Economic and Promotional Days of Local Products (JEPPC) 2026.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the minister highlighted that this growth in preschool centers is accompanied by an increase in the enrollment rate, which has risen from 6.2% to 8.9%. In support of this expansion, the government plans to recruit 1,000 additional educators in 2025, followed by 2,000 more in 2026.

The dialogue also included discussions led by the Ministers of National Education and Secondary Education, who presented the actions undertaken in their departments and addressed participants' concerns.

Professor Moumouni Zoungrana, Minister of Higher Education, emphasized the importance of vocational training and scientific education, showcasing products from these fields. He also set a goal to increase the proportion of graduates from technical and vocational programs to 60% by 2050, up from about 5% currently. Additionally, he announced plans to establish specialized high schools focused on leather and hide processing, construction materials, and clothing.

Further topics discussed included revising school curricula to emphasize national history, civic education, and patriotism. Initiatives for youth integration, such as "useful holidays" that have trained 328,996 individuals, were also highlighted.

The introduction of English from the CE1 level, support for teachers, and the development of school gardens, which are practiced in 7,000 to 8,000 schools producing over 12,000 tonnes, were also key points of discussion during the event.