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Household energy deprivation and inequality in school enrolment: evidence from Burkina Faso
By Compaore E.D.
This article analyses the effect of multidimensional energy deprivation on inequalities in schooling in Burkina Faso. A Poisson model based on instrumental variable techniques was used on a sample of 11,427 individuals. The data used come from the Continuous Multisectoral Survey on Household Living Conditions in Burkina Faso (CMS, 2014). The results indicate a high incidence and intensity of multidimensional energy deprivation in Burkina Faso. Lack of access to modern cooking fuels was the main cause of household energy deprivation. In addition, the results show that these multidimensional energy deprivations have a greater negative impact on girls’ school attendance than on that of boys. These results highlight the importance of taking into account the multidimensional energy deprivation faced by households in school enrolment policies and in reducing inequalities in children’s access to education. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Institute for Social and Economic Change 2024.
Effective bilingual education in Francophone West Africa: constraints and possibilities
By Hermann Akpe
Bilingual education that incorporates a local language alongside the official language has become an increasingly common approach in sub-Saharan Africa for improving literacy rates and learning outcomes. Evidence suggests that bilingual instruction is largely associated with positive learning and literacy outcomes globally. However, the adoption of bilingual education does not guarantee positive learning outcomes. This paper reviews bilingual programs in sub-Saharan Africa, with a particular focus on programs in six Francophone West African countries (Niger, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon). We identified factors critical to high-quality and effective bilingual programs. Implementation factors, such as teacher training and classroom resources, and socio-cultural factors, such as perceptions of local languages in education, constrain and contribute to the quality of bilingual education. These insights may help inform policy-makers and other stakeholders seeking to improve bilingual education programs in Francophone West Africa and other contexts.
Exploiting comics as a tool to learn French in Burkina Faso’s primary schools.; [EXPLOITER LA BANDE DESSINÉE COMME OUTIL D’APPRENTISSAGE DU FRANÇAIS DANS LES ÉCOLES PRIMAIRES DU BURKINA FASO]
By Cheick Félix Bobodo Ouedraogo
When discussing the effectiveness of sub-Saharan African educational systems – a topic currently under debate – one issue that immediately comes to the fore is the obstacle represented by the vehicular language of school, which is French, and does not match the language children learn in the family before entering school. This implies that the language of the school must be learned on a formal and systematic basis. In the case of Burkina Faso, the task for students becomes complex because, on the one hand, French is a medium they do not master and, on the other, being the vehicular language of the school, the mastery of French is crucial for school achievement. In this situation, comic books, which undeniably exert a strong appeal to children, can serve as an effective pedagogical tool for learning French. The method adopted for this research is analytical, although certain data are based on fieldwork carried out in the context of other studies. The results of this work show that comic books can have an important place in the primary education system of Burkina Faso as an appropriate pedagogical method to exploit educational resources in general, and linguistic resources in particular. © 2023 Fabrizio Serra Editore Srl. All rights reserved.
Does graduate education abroad matter? Evidence from Burkina Faso
By Abdoulganiour Almame Tinta
This paper addresses international student migration, return migration and labor market entry by examining the effects of graduate educational migration on employment, type of employment, wage and wait time to obtain employment. Using primary data collected in 2021 on 1774 burkinabè graduates, including non-migrants and migrants (returnees and non-returnees), the results are mixed. Migration for studies does not provide better access to employment for returnees because they take longer to get a job despite having degrees from schools abroad and earning more. Controlling for selection bias, Ph.D. graduates take longer to find jobs than do Master's graduates. Arbitrating between unemployment and a lower-skilled job, the findings highlight that the returnees prefer unemployment. Assignment and queuing theories are supported for returnees. © 2022 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Proposal for a Didactic Tool on Teaching Practices Related to the Selective Sorting of Plastic Waste According to Relative Density in High Schools: Case Study in Burkina Faso
By Issa Zongo
The concept of relative density is introduced in the middle school and high school curricula by an intuitive approach based on the phenomena of immersion and flotation. In high school, the same concept is taught as the ratio between the masses of two bodies of the same volume. This dichotomy of the concept of relative density between the two educational cycles, separately approached, induces initial representations that can constitute epistemological obstacles for its conceptualization and scientific understanding. This study proposes an interdisciplinary approach between chemistry, physics, and mathematics, combining “intuitive understanding” and “mathematical formalism”, with the aim of evolving intuitive perceptions toward a scientific understanding of the concept of relative density, based on the sorting of plastic waste. After establishing the conditions of buoyancy, immersion, and sinking, this approach highlights the existence of several types of plastics and their relative density based selective sorting. This experimentation on the buoyancy of solutions on each other and of solids in solutions provides chemistry and physics teachers with an experimental didactic tool to support their interventions in the teaching/learning process of the concept of relative density. This didactic tool has been proven fruitful for a better understanding of the concept of relative density. © 2023 American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.
An analysis of inequalities in school performance between public and private students in sub-Saharan Africa
By Nguemkap Kouamo Romuald
This paper investigates which micro factors among student, classroom, teacher, and school characteristics explain inequalities in public-private school achievement at the end of primary school in 14 sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Using data from the 2019 CONFEMEN Education Systems Analysis Program (PASEC) assessment and an empirical strategy that leverages an educational production function, an Oaxaca-Blinder, Juhn Murphy, and Pierce decomposition, the main findings are as follows. Private schools provide a higher quality of education than public schools. The variables gender of the student, age and gender of the teacher, and number of inspections contribute to reducing inequalities between the two groups, while the variables home language, kindergarten attendance, socioeconomic level of the student's family, age of the student, and location and infrastructure of the school contribute to maintaining educational inequalities. Students who do less well in private schools are less likely to succeed in public schools. Those who do well in public schools are equally likely to do well in private schools. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd
Stunting, age at school entry and academic performance in developing countries: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
By Kobiané, Jean‐François
AIM: To review evidence of the effects of stunting, or height-for-age, on schooling level and schooling trajectories, defined as the combination of school entry age, grade repetition and dropouts. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of studies (last update 20 March 2021) that assessed the association between stunting, or height-for-age, and at least one component of school trajectory using five databases (PubMed, Embase, Education Resources Information Center [ERIC], Web of Science and PsycINFO). Two independent reviewers performed study selection and data extraction. Pooled effects were calculated using the generic inverse variance weighting random-effect model. The risk of bias was assessed using the ROBINS-I tool (PROSPERO ID: CRD42020198346). RESULTS: We screened 3944 articles, and 16 were eligible for the qualitative and quantitative syntheses. Meta-analysis showed that an increase in height-for-age leads to an increase in early enrolment [OR = 1.34 (95% CI, 1.07-1.67)], a reduction in late enrolment [OR = 0.63 (95% CI, 0.51-0.78)], an increase in schooling level [MD = 0.24 (95% CI, 0.14-0.34)] and a reduction in school overage [OR = 0.79 (95% CI, 0.70-0.90)]. Stunted children were more likely to repeat a grade than non-stunted [OR = 1.59 (95% CI, 1.18-2.14)]. CONCLUSION: This review suggests that stunting in childhood might negatively affect school trajectories. Future research should evaluate the effect of stunting on school trajectories and the modification effect of socioeconomic status.
Educating Children with Disabilities
By Mensah, Emmanuel Kodwo
Education is a fundamental human right, and it is a global Sustainable Development Goal to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all.” Many children with disabilities in low-income countries, however, continue to be excluded from educational opportunities at great cost to themselves, their families, and the communities in which they live. Realizing the right to inclusive education for children with disabilities requires policies and practices that are tailored to and effective for unique regional and local contexts. Using new qualitative data collected in 2020 (based on a desk review and key informant interviews), this chapter explores the inclusiveness, equity, and quality of education for children with disabilities in three African countries: Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, and Niger. The study countries are at the bottom of the Human Development Index ranking of 189 countries worldwide (Ethiopia 173, Burkina Faso 182, Niger 189, data from 2020). Despite state commitments to education as a human right and legislative support for inclusive education in each country, social, economic, political, and financial factors at the family, community, and system levels contribute to the continued marginalization of children with disabilities. The insights from this multicountry analysis highlight the importance of locally informed and context-specific approaches but also point to broader lessons for the study and promotion of inclusive education in low-resource settings. These insights provide a starting point for further investigation of disability-inclusive education on the African continent and in the developing world.
Prevalence of Obesity and Anemia Among Early Adolescents in Junior Secondary Schools: A Cross-Sectional Study in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
By Mank, Isabel;
BACKGROUND The school presents an ideal environment to positively impact the long-term health and nutrition outcomes of early adolescents, who are at risk of obesity and anemia. METHODS In this cross-sectional survey, we described differences in weight and anemia by sociodemographic, diet and physical activity indicators among 1059 students aged 11 to 15 years from 22 junior secondary schools in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Weight was based on body mass index (BMI) z-scores according to the WHO reference and anemia status was defined by standardized hemoglobin (Hb) measure cut-offs. We calculated dietary diversity scores (DDS) from a 24-hour dietary recall and a global diet quality score (GDQS) from a 7-day dietary recall. RESULTS The prevalence of obesity (5%) and anemia (50%) was relatively high among the students, which differed significantly between gender, household wealth and school grade, but not age groups. Eighteen percent of the female adolescents were overweight or obese and 22% were moderately anemic compared to 13% and 16% of the male adolescents. Dietary diversity was significantly different between weight categories, but not anemia status. For physical activity, those taking transportation to school were significantly more likely to be overweight or obese. In adjusted multivariable Poisson regression analyses, only the DDS was significantly associated with thinness and both thinness and anemia, while taking transportation to school was significantly associated with overweight among adolescents. CONCLUSION We encourage the promotion of school-based interventions and provision of a curriculum on health and healthy eating in order to reduce obesity, anemia, and its comorbidities.
It's the poverty-Stakeholder perspectives on barriers to secondary education in rural Burkina Faso
By Jabbarian, Jan
Universal primary and secondary education is a key target of the Sustainable Development Goals. While substantial gains have been made at the primary school level, progress towards universal secondary education has slowed, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. In this study, we aimed to determine perceived barriers of secondary schooling in rural Burkina Faso, where secondary school completion is among the lowest globally (<10%). We conducted a two-stage qualitative study using semi-structured interviews (N = 49). In the first stage, we sampled enrolled students (n = 10), out-of-school adolescents (n = 9), parents of enrolled students (n = 5), parents of out-of-school adolescents (n = 5) and teachers (n = 10) from a random sample of five secondary schools. In a second stage, we interviewed key informants knowledgeable of the school context using snowball sampling (n = 10). Systematic analysis of the pooled sample was based on a reading of interview transcripts and coding of the narratives in NVivo12 using the diathesis-stress model. Recurring themes were classified using a priori developed categories of hypothesized barriers to secondary schooling. Major reported barriers included school-related expenses and the lack of school infrastructure and resources. Insufficient and heterogeneous French language skills (the official language of instruction in Burkina Faso) were seen as a major barrier to secondary schooling. Forced marriages, adolescent pregnancies, and the low perceived economic benefits of investing in secondary schooling were reported as key barriers among young women. Our results guide future interventions and policy aimed at achieving universal secondary education and gender equity in the region.
Financing adult learning and education (ALE) now and in future
By Biao, Idowu
This article submits that while the world continues to view education as a human right, it also persists in depriving an important section of it - namely adult learning and education (ALE) - of adequate funding. Located within the lifelong learning domain, which facilitates both the resolution of challenges and adjustment to the vagaries of living throughout a lifetime, ALE is indispensable within the framework of the United Nations 2030 Agenda with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This article identifies four factors which are currently responsible for the poor funding of ALE. These factors are: (1) the world's obsession with the provision of school education; (2) the lack of adequate instruments to work out ALE's returns on investment; (3) the hope that employers will ultimately supply ALE; and (4) the assumption that an expansion of formal schooling will eventually lead to the establishment of literate societies free of inter-generational crises. Since ALE is generally framed as a broad literacy education project, the author undertakes a review of literacy education costing. This leads him to posit that quality literacy education can be supplied at a unit cost ranging between USD 150 and USD 250 annually within any Global Alliance for Literacy (GAL) country. Finally, the article offers four recommendations to increase ALE funding going forward.
Home environment, pre-schooling and children’s literacy in sub-Saharan Africa francophone
By Ouedraogo, Emile
Background: The sustainable development goal (SDG) 4.2 calls to ‘ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and preprimary education so that they are ready for primary education’. It is then important to identify early childhood literacy drivers for better decision-making in education. Objectives: This research investigates the impact of pre-schooling and home environment effect on children’s literacy in sub-Saharan Africa francophone countries. Method: A total of 21 933 Grade 2 children participated in the regional assessment of literacy in 14 countries. Items on cognitive skills were used to assess children’s literacy skill. A contextual questionnaire was used to collect data on the home environment and children’s characteristics. Descriptive statistics, logistic regression and inverse-probability-weighted regression adjustment were used to estimate the impact of pre-schooling and home environment on children’s literacy skill. Results: At least 57% of children in Grade 2 did not have the literacy skill required to pursue their learning without difficulty. Only 28% of children attended preschool. Home-language and reading at home have the highest effect size on children’s literacy skill. Attending preschool improves the percentage of children capable to pursue their learning without difficulty by 10%. Furthermore, that improvement is 15.7% for children who attended preschool. Impact of preschooling varies between countries and slightly across gender. Conclusion: Findings of this research call for better access to pre-schooling and better home environment to improve children’s literacy skill. The research will contribute to efforts of the sub-Saharan Africa francophone countries to achieve the SDG 4.2. Contribution: This research contributed to fill the knowledge gaps on Early Childhood literacy in the Global South. It highlighted home environment drivers and the impact of preschooling on children’s literacy skills in the Global South © 2022. The Authors. Licensee: AOSIS. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License
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