In March 2006, the Millennium Challenge Corporation graciously allocated 12.9 million Dollars to Burkina Faso under the Threshold program to support 10 of the 45 provinces with the lowest girls’ school enrollment. The grant allowed the construction of 132 primary school complexes and the enrollment of over 17, 164 children by 2008-2009, out of which 9,282 were girls. Approximately 30.364 children are expected for school year 2009-2010.
Students at Nassere (Sanmatenga province) school using a hallway as temporary classroom
It is very delighting to see that the MCC has granted additional funds to Burkina Faso to upgrade these 3 grade schools to full 6 grades primary schools. This should allow children to complete a primary school cycle within their communities.
Considering the time it will take to complete the constructions, an alternative was found to accommodate children in October 2009, when the new school year starts. The strategy is to continue to re-model existing hallways where necessary, to convert them into temporary classrooms (see picture 1). Children and teachers seem to enjoy using these spaces as they have good ventilation, three blackboards
For October 2009, re-modeling at least 2 hallways in 52 schools and 1 hallway in 80 schools will be necessary.
Makasa Kabongo, the project’s Chief Of Party.
Abdoul SOMPOUGDOU, Plan International, visited the school of DASARI in GNAGNA province with the COP Makasa Kabongo on June 23, 2009. Abdoul had this to say” I am grateful to those who helped my country build these beautiful schools in such remote areas, I have a lot of admiration and pray Allah for the teachers I have met here, they seem removed from a normal life”
Namwano Possibo Cyrielle, CP1 teacher at Dayende School, GNAGNA province
“I am glad I was appointed to this school, I share lodging with a female colleague because I feel safer that way; it can also be boring to be all by yourself. The school is fine except for the long distance from Bogande, where we have to go from time to time to buy food and re-charge the batteries for our cellular phones. As for the low enrollment in my class and the school in general, they are due to the fact that the community had a dispute with the director, he was violent with children, he was removed from school, enrollments should start picking up”
