Financing for equity in higher education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to institutions
3. Education resources to students
4. Support for students' living costs
Introduction
Key financing indicators (UIS Data)
Between 2001 and 2024, the gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education in Comoros increased from 1.11% to 10.04%. Initial government funding per tertiary student fluctuated from 188.16% of GDP per capita in 2005 to 309.22% in 2016, while initial household funding per tertiary student was 55.01% in 2001 and 47.98% in 2006.
Tuition-free status
Public tertiary education in Burkina Faso is not tuition-free, and students have been required to pay tuition at public higher education institutions. However, on 22 April 2025, President Ibrahim Traoré announced the abolition of all school fees nationwide, declaring education free from primary level through to university, although this policy has yet to be fully formalised in law.
Governance
The higher education sector in Burkina Faso is overseen by the Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation (MESRSI). This ministry is responsible for setting policy directions and the overall management of the higher education system, including the creation and management of public higher education institutions, as well as the design, planning and evaluation of teaching, and the regulation of the establishment of both public and private institutions. It oversees the administrative and pedagogical management of higher education institutions, including examinations, academic standards, and teaching materials, and is responsible for promoting research and managing university research infrastructure. The ministry also administers student scholarships and social support services, oversees student orientation and degree awarding and recognition, and is responsible for teacher training. These functions are implemented within a programme-based budgeting framework that includes a dedicated programme for higher education.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
No evidence was found of funding mechanisms that transfer resources from the central government to local governments for public higher education. The 2017-2030 Education sector plan shows that public higher education is financed through centrally managed State budget programmes under the authority of the Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation, notably through a dedicated higher education programme within a programme-based budgeting framework. The plan presents higher education expenditures by ministry and programme line rather than through intergovernmental transfers, and discussions of decentralisation and transfers of competences exclude higher education.
2. Education resources to institutions
Funding for private universities in the absence of public institutions
No evidence was found of public funding for private universities in Burkina Faso when no public university is available. Under Decree No. 2008-645, private higher education institutions are financed and operated by private individuals or legal entities. While the ministry responsible for higher education regulates and monitors private institutions, this oversight does not constitute public financing, confirming that private universities rely on private funding sources rather than State transfers.
Allocation and equity
No evidence was found of formula-based mechanisms for allocating government subsidies to public higher education institutions. According to the MESRI 2023/24 Tableau de bord, public higher education is financed mainly through centrally managed personnel and operating expenditure lines, which appear to operate as collective block-type allocations rather than clearly defined institution-specific formula grants. No institution-level funding explicitly targeting equity for specific groups was identified, with equity objectives addressed instead through centrally administered scholarships and student support schemes.
3. Education resources to students
Admission for vulnerable groups
No evidence was found of specific admission criteria, quotas, or preferential entry tracks for vulnerable groups in public higher education. Admission is primarily merit-based, centred on the attainment of the baccalauréat or an equivalent qualification and on meeting the academic requirements defined by institutions and fields of study.
Scholarships, grants and loans for vulnerable groups
The national scholarship (bourse nationale)
Led by the Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation (MESRSI), the scheme aims at facilitating access to and continuation in higher education for eligible students. According to the official eligibility guidelines, scholarships are awarded based on a combination of age, academic merit, and parental income, reflecting both merit-based and need-based criteria. In addition, the government has introduced a special affirmative measure reserving an exclusive quota of 300 scholarships for female students, in place for the past four years, to promote gender equity in higher education.
The Fonds National pour l’Éducation et la Recherche (FONER) is a national public fund established to support education and research in Burkina Faso. Through its Aide component, FONER provides direct financial assistance to students, notably new baccalaureate holders and other eligible students enrolled in public universities, who do not receive scholarships or loans and whose parents’ annual income does not exceed the prescribed threshold. The aid is designed to help cover basic education-related expenses during higher education and is awarded annually, with the possibility of renewal subject to eligibility conditions such as age limits, enrolment status, and the absence of salaried employment.
4. Support for students’ living costs
Transportation and textbooks
No evidence was found of any government-led schemes providing transportation or textbook support for tertiary students.
Accommodation
Student accommodation support is available in Burkina Faso and is provided by the National Centre for University Student Services (CENOU). University housing is offered as a subsidised social service, with students paying a low monthly fee, primarily to support those studying away from their home regions. Equity measures are built into access rules, including extended accommodation periods for students with disabilities and a quota reserving 60 per cent of available beds for female students.
This profile was reviewed by Ramaele Moshoeshoe, Executive Director of the Africa Fellows in Education Program (AFEP), Global Education Analytics Institute.
