On Education Inequality in Burkina Faso Additional Evidence from the COVID-19 Containment Measures
- Proceedings of the Next Generation Global Workshop 2021, 14th edition , 14 (5) : 1-20
Résumé
Although approximately 80% of the Burkinabè people do not speak French, it is the sole language of instruction in schools in Burkina Faso. In areas where French is not spoken (e.g., rural areas), children must spend the first 6 years of their schooling mastering the language. Consequently, they have fewer learning opportunities compared to those who live in cities or those who start their schooling with a basic knowledge of French. According to many authors (e.g., Sawadogo, 2004; Some, 2017), in Burkina Faso, many children experience confusion in their first contact with French in school because they are born and raised in a family that is illiterate and unfamiliar with the French language and culture. In many instances, the confusion experienced by children regarding their first contact with French in their schools forces them to drop out of school without completing their primary education. On the other hand, children living in cities or whose parents speak French fluently face fewer problems in their initial days of schooling, generally completing their primary education. Accordingly, the language of instruction in schools in the country has created a disparity between the education of children living in rural areas and that of those living in cities. This disparity is worsened by the unequal distribution of investment in education by the government of Burkina Faso throughout the country. In reality, although the government claims to be investing in education for all children, the investment is observed to be mainly concentrated in cities. The education investment in villages, where approximately 70% of the country’s population resides, seems to be neglected. This is evidenced by the rural-urban education inequality observed during the COVID-19 containment measures implemented by
the government.
Mots-clés
Eduquation inequality, Burkina Faso, COVID-19, language and education, language policy and planning