Financing for equity in primary and secondary education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to schools
3. Education resources to students and families
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Introduction
In Burkina Faso, the Minister of National Education, Literacy and Promotion of National Languages is responsible for implementing and monitoring government policies in pre-primary, primary, secondary, technical, vocational, and non-formal education. ministry oversees teachers, administrative, management, and support staff, as well as manages the overall education budget. It allocates resources to local governments (collectivités territoriales), ensuring decentralisation in education management.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
The Ministry of Education transfers resources to local governments (collectivités territoriales) for school operations, non-formal education centres (CEBNF), primary school canteen food supplies, and school infrastructure projects. Funds are reallocated from the Ministry to the communes under interministerial order N°2021-047/MINEFID/MATDC/MENAPLN, which defines resource distribution based on transferred education responsibilities. However, no information was found on funding mechanisms that consider equity when transferring funds from central to local governments.
2. Education resources to schools
Inclusive Education
In 2015–2016, the government covered school fees and supplies for 5,637 disabled children, allocated resources to institutions supporting disabled and vulnerable children, and established 32 transitional inclusion classes (CTIS) for sensory-disabled students. By 2022, the budget was assigned to the Department for the Promotion of Inclusive Education, Girls’ Education, and Gender (DPEIEFG), which funds education for students with disabilities and supports vulnerable girls across primary to secondary levels through accommodations, school canteens, and material and financial aid.
3. Education resources to students and families
Post-Primary and Secondary School Scholarships
The Grants and Financial Aid Office awards post-primary and secondary scholarships within a set quota, prioritising orphans, children under state protection, disabled students, and indigent families. Eligibility requires post-primary pupils to be under 16 and secondary pupils under 19 years of age. A joint order from January 4, 2018, set the monthly scholarship amounts at FCFA 12,000 for post-primary and FCFA 14,000 for secondary education. These scholarships resumed in 2018 after a 20-year hiatus.
Hygienic menstrual management (GHM)
In the 2021–2025 national development framework, the government committed to implementing Hygienic Menstrual Management (GHM) in schools to improve retention of girls in primary, post-primary, and secondary education. The programme’s reach is planned to expand from 53 schools in 2020 to 128 schools by 2025 at the post-primary and secondary levels.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
The Social Safety Net Project began in 2014 with support from the World Bank. Its first component provides cash transfers and awareness activities to poor households, helping them through social work to improve access to health, nutrition, and education. The goal is to ease economic burdens so families can invest in their children’s health and education. Notably, 91% of women beneficiaries participated in group education on nutrition, health care, and early childhood stimulation.
5. School meal programmes
Programme national de cantines scolaires (National School Canteen Programme)
Launched in 1988, the National School Canteen Programme is overseen by the Ministry of National Education, Literacy, and Promotion of National Languages, while municipalities handle food procurement and management. The programme provides at least one meal daily to primary students and is mainly funded by the government or external organizations. Other school meal initiatives include the Projet Cantines scolaires (PCS/MENAPLN/CATHWEL, 1962), the World Food Programme’s Projet Cantine scolaires (2004), and the Cantines scolaires de Fondation et Coopération – EDUCO (2004). These programmes target areas based on education indicators, geography, and gender, with nutritionists involved in their implementation.
This profile was reviewed by Ramaele Moshoeshoe, Director of the Africa Fellows in Education Programme (AFEP).
