PUTTING 550,000 MORE CHILDREN IN PRIMARY SCHOOL IN BURKINA FASO

Putting 550,000 More Children in Primary School in Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso’s primary school enrollment rate was among the lowest in the world in the 1990s. Enrollment was very low in rural areas, where children, particularly girls, were kept at home because of the distance to school, the high cost of schooling, and the high opportunity costs for poor families whose children contributed significantly to family income.

To address the problem, IDA brought $32.6 million to a $110 million program supporting the government’s Basic Education 10-Year Program. Just as significantly, it provided a framework that harmonized support from all partners—Belgium, Canada, Denmark, the European Commission, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, UNICEF, and nongovernmental organizations—through a common-basket fund that allowed effective allocation of project resources.

The first phase of the program, completed in fiscal 2007, improved access to primary education in rural areas by constructing and rehabilitating schools and financing equipment and facilities. It also supported curriculum development, teacher training, and capacity building within the Ministry of Basic Education, paying particular attention to financial management, budgeting, procurement, monitoring, evaluation, and donor coordination.

As a result of the program, an additional 550,000 children have since been enrolled in primary school. Gross enrollment rates nationwide increased to 62 percent (55 percent for girls) in 2006, up from 42 percent (36 percent for girls) in 2000. In the 20 most underprivileged provinces, enrollment rose to 47 percent (41 percent for girls) from 30 percent (24 percent for girls) over the same period.

IDA will continue to support the government’s 10-year program to ensure that the foundations laid for the reform will be strengthened over time. A Post-Primary Education Project that builds on the current operation is being implemented to address access and equity in secondary education.
(See www.worldbank.org/burkinafaso.)