Koudougou: The city of Koudougou, nicknamed the "City of the Red Rider," vibrated to the rhythm of the double celebration of the Day of Wearing Traditional Attire at School and the 2025 Excellence edition. The event, organized by the Regional Directorate of Preschool, Primary and Non-Formal Education (DREPPNF) of Nando, was held on Saturday at the People's Theatre, bringing together a crowd of administrative, customary, educational authorities and numerous partners.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the event was held under the patronage of Minister Jacques Sostheme Dingara and the evocative theme, "Implementation of School Reforms in the Nando Region: An Alternative for the Training of Future Burkinabe Citizens." This ceremony marked a strong commitment to quality, culturally rooted education. The Governor of the region, represented by the Secretary General, Mr. Lucien Guenguere, presided over the event and congratulated the educational community on the results achieved.
The president of the special delegation of the Koudougou municipality expressed his pride in his municipality being chosen as the venue, seeing it as a setting for recognizing merit, effort, and work well done. He also emphasized that the reform regarding the wearing of traditional attire illustrates the cultural grounding of the reformed education system, urging its continuation.
One of the moments of the day was the parade of 210 students from 11 schools in the municipality, all dressed in traditional attire, showcasing the cultural heritage of Burkina Faso and its integration into the education system. The ceremony was graced by the presence of distinguished patrons, including the traditional chief of Ipendo and the president of the Regional Employers' Council, El Hadj Inoussa Bague.
The patrons' representative described the event as "a living symbol of our collective commitment to quality, inclusive, and hopeful education." They reaffirmed their support for the initiative, calling the award recipients "heroes of the day," and pledged their support for future Excellence Days in the region.
The awards for excellence highlighted performances: the best teacher, N. Didier Nikiema (Cassou School / CEB of Cassou, Ziro), praised for achieving a 100% success rate in the CEP (with 95 students presented); the best student in the Primary School Certificate (CEP): Windyam Desire Alex Kinda, from the Saint Jean-Baptiste school, who achieved the feat of obtaining 163.5 points out of a possible 170.
The master of ceremonies noted that the day's theme aligns with the vision of the Head of State, Captain Ibrahim Traore, who considers the reorientation of education a "major priority." He welcomed the Nando region's commitment to implementing the reforms, emphasizing that the 2025-2026 school year will see their widespread adoption. He concluded by inviting all stakeholders to "fully commit to an education that serves the people."