| Education System in Burkina Faso |
Although education in landlocked Burkina Faso in West Africa is compulsory for children aged between 7 and 14, this is not enforced. It is based mainly on the French model and the teaching language is French. Children enter primary school at the age of seven and, after 6 years, they write an elementary school completion examination that allows them to register at high school.
Only a very small proportion of young people study further. Junior high school takes 4 years during which time the curriculum includes languages, geography, history, mathematics, and sciences. The junior high school diploma on offer at the end of this allows students to either register for senior high school, or to enroll for a course at junior high vocational school instead.
The academic trend continues for students who proceed on to senior high school (and who are among the very few). Their final examination is for their baccalaureate, that will admit them to university.
Junior high level vocational schools offer 2 to 3 year professional training for occupations including primary schoolmaster, nurse, midwife, police person, customs officer, and public administration clerk.
There are three institutions of higher learning in Burkina Faso, namely the Polytechnic University of Bobo-Dioulasso, the Teachers Training College of Koudougou, and the University of Ouagadougou.
The latter, which is illustrated here, was established in 1974, and has faculties of languages arts & communication, human sciences, legal and politic sciences, economic sciences & management, applied sciences, health sciences, life & earth sciences, and an institute of arts & crafts.
