This blog post is part of a series of GPE country results stories. The stories highlight the value that the Global Partnership for Education brings to its developing country partners. In each country, the partnership tailors its support to the specific education sector needs. The value of the Global Partnership is how it engages with all education partners in a country to prepare sound education sector plans which are then funded by GPE and other partners.
Burkina Faso is a landlocked low-income country in Sub-Saharan Africa with an estimated population of 16.6 million in 2012. The country often ranks lowest on human development indicators in Africa (183rd out of 187 countries in the UN Human Development Index 2013).
But despite huge challenges, the Burkinabe government has been prioritizing education. Supportive policies and reforms in the education sector, along with effective collaboration with partners, have helped Burkina Faso implement a comprehensive education sector plan that is helping the country make important progress in education.
The Challenge: More Than a Million Children Missing out on an Education
In the early 2000s, more than 60 % of children in Burkina Faso had no access to school. The school completion rate for girls was one of the lowest in Africa. Significant geographic disparities in infrastructure left over a million children with few options for their education. In addition, endemic poverty proved to be an insurmountable barrier for many families who were required to pay for school supplies and school fees.
The Solution: Flexible Financing and Education Reform
Burkina Faso joined the Global Partnership for Education in 2003 with a ten-year plan to prioritize basic education. The plan focused on improving access, equity and expanding coverage; improving the quality, efficiency and relevance of primary education; and strengthening sector management and monitoring.
In 2009 the Global Partnership provided a first grant of US$102 million to Burkina Faso. The funds were channeled through the government’s budget over four years and disbursed against agreed triggers. These were designed to remove constraints that limited government efforts to develop the sector.
The GPE grant supported the introduction of policy and institutional reforms in line with the government’s ten-year plan in order to lay the groundwork for greater access and quality.
In 2011, GPE partners worked with the Burkinabe government to develop its 2012-2021 Education Sector Plan, which for the first time covers the entire education system.
The Results: An Education System Fit for Purpose
Several important reforms took place in conjunction with the implementation of the Global Partnership grant. For example:
- efficient use of school facilities by introducing multi-grade classes and limiting repetition,
- strengthening decentralization and school-based management systems,
- monitoring teachers’ instructional time,
- increasing students’ learning time, and using student assessments to inform strategies for improved learning outcomes.
These reforms and new policies contributed to an education system that is fit for purpose.
Burkina Faso has demonstrated that political will coupled with targeted policy, structural reforms and a flexible budget support mechanism can make a real difference in a country with significant barriers to access.
More Children in School and Continued Support by the Global Partnership
Since the creation of its first education sector plan upon joining the Global Partnership, Burkina Faso has improved on most of its education indicators and enrolled more girls than ever before.
Enrollment in primary school soared from 37% in 2003 to 64% in 2012. The rate of children completing primary school rose from 27% to 56% and the number of girls finishing primary school improved from 23% to 54% over the same period. Burkina Faso also more than doubled the teaching force, up from nearly 23,000 in 2003 to nearly 49,000 in 2012.
In May 2013, Burkina Faso received a second grant of $78.2 million to support five priority areas: development of basic education from preschool to post-primary; reduction of disparities; improvement of the quality of education services; decentralization of the management of the education system; and development of literacy and non-formal education.
The Global Partnership is strongly committed to continuing its support to Burkina Faso’s efforts, until all its children are able to go to school and receive a quality education.
(data source: UIS)