Ouagadougou: The Minister in charge of Basic Education, Jacques Sosth¨ne Dingara, has expressed satisfaction with the substantial progress made towards the implementation of Burkina Faso's 2025 education policy. The ambition to establish an inclusive, innovative, and hopeful educational environment for every child in Burkina Faso is nearing fruition as the ministry reports positive outcomes from 2025.
According to Burkina Information Agency, Minister Jacques Sosth¨ne Dingara, at the opening of the first ordinary session of the Board of Directors of the ministerial sector of Education, highlighted key achievements. A total of 499 Early Childhood Development and Preschool Education Centers (CEEP) have been launched, and 1,894 schools have been reopened in reclaimed areas, facilitating the education of 439,378 students, of which 49% are girls. Additionally, 29,750 internally displaced candidates received specific assistance for the 2025 Primary School Leaving Certificate (CEP), achieving a pass rate of 89.26%. The non-formal education certification rate stood at 83.31%.
The ministry also reported advancements in infrastructure and equipment, with 80 semi-finished classrooms completed and 49 structures renovated. Furthermore, the acquisition of 2,584,584 school bags, delivery of 19,315 tons of food supplies, and purchase of 2,112 pieces of specialized equipment for students with disabilities marked significant milestones.
To enhance teaching quality, 10,584 teachers from 2,292 primary schools and 494 educators from 191 CEEPs engaged in a pilot program focused on integrating information and communication technology (ICT). The introduction to various professions involved 16,614 teachers from 3,252 schools, including 231 private institutions, while the establishment of Pedagogical Supervision Zones (ZEP) and Pedagogical Units (UP) aimed to bolster supervision.
Looking forward to 2026, the department plans to further expand educational offerings, enhance the integration of ICT in learning, and expedite the execution of education in emergency scenarios. The minister urged all education system stakeholders to sustain the ongoing momentum, ensuring equitable access to quality education for every child in the nation.
Technical and financial partners have reiterated their commitment to supporting Burkina Faso's education policy. According to Chantal Umutoni, UNICEF representative and lead partner of the development partners, initiatives focusing on education and training in emergencies, quality of learning and teacher training, promotion of national languages, and sustainable financing will continue to receive backing. The partners remain dedicated in 2026 to implementing the ministry's 11 priorities, including school resilience, inclusion, national languages, canteens, digital identity of learners, and teacher empowerment.