New colleges for Zongo and 17 other locations
2023.09.12
On Monday June 19, 2023, the official hand-over ceremony of the Colleges of General Education (CEG) was carried out as part of the Construction of Educational Infrastructure Project in support of post-primary education in the Center and Center-South regions on the site of Zongo A and B schools in the district 3 of the municipality of Ouagadougou.
This project implemented by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) was funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with an amount of 1 350 000 000 yen or approximately 6 700 000 000 FCFA CFA. Two years after the signing of the grant agreement on February 25, 2021, UNICEF finished the construction of 18 post-primary schools with their components as planned in the two target regions of the project: 104 classrooms and administrative buildings fully equipped, 90 latrines, computers equipment and laboratory equipment, 15 drilling systems powered by a solar device and sports fields. In terms of the soft component, the project allowed:
- Training of 162 teachers and principals on the modules of the Quality Child-Friendly School (QCFS) and the safe school approach;
- Capacity building of 540 members of community-based school management structures (COGES, APE, AME) on QCFS, school management and school safety;
- Training of 72 teachers and school principals (on disaster risk reduction and psychosocial support;
- Printing and delivery to MENAPLN of 2500 QCFS and Safe School manuals
- Providing menstrual hygiene management kits for 2,600 girls;
- Providing WASH kits (hand washing facilities, water storage containers, garbage cans, brooms and soap) and educating students…
In the presence of delighted population of Zongo community and concerned authorities, the Ministry of National Education and Literacy of National Languages (MENAPLN) officially received the keys of this new school from His Excellency Kato Masaaki, Ambassador of Japan and Mr. Okitsu Keiichi, Resident Representative of JICA Burkina Faso. Very satisfied with these achievements, the Minister Joseph André OUEDRAOGO expressed his gratitude to the people of Japan considered as brother and friend of Burkina Faso:" I would like on behalf of the government to thank them... These are schools of future that are timely and are a breath of fresh air... ".
For UNICEF Representative Mrs. Sandra Lattouf, "these infrastructures, more than just buildings, are places of hope for children and their communities". Mrs. Lattouf stressed that quality education is a child’s right, essential for combating marginalization.
His Excellency Kato Masaaki the Ambassador of Japan urged students, their teachers and school management committee to maintain the infrastructure and create a pleasant school environment for learning. “It is all a commitment that we could make of the school, a “safe” framework and a friend of the children, a framework for the development of talents and future builders of the Burkinabe nation,” he said.
This project partly responds to the challenges of education in emergency situations because the infrastructure will absorb nearly 7,000 students per year (for an average of 65 students/class), which will significantly increase access to quality post-primary education.
Kaliguetta OUIBGA
Education and Health Program Officer
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