Burkina Faso considers capping private school fees to ease family burden

“School fees are so high that a cap would at least relieve our parents and help them send our children to school properly,” says Alain Damiba, a slam artist who believes fee regulation is now essential.

But will this regulation truly ease the financial strain on families? Opinions are divided. Some argue that more investment in public school construction is needed. Others believe the measure could significantly reduce household financial pressure.

“It will greatly help parents, even if it’s just a reduction of 10,000 francs. Life is tough today; almost everything has gone up while salaries remain the same,” laments Giles Sawadogo, a father.

Regarding an ideal amount, several respondents suggest a ceiling between 50,000 and 100,000 FCFA per child per year, depending on the grade level and services offered. Others prefer free access to educational institutions.

“If we could go to school for free, that would be great. For university, we could also adopt measures to make fees more accessible. The country needs more institutions, especially technical schools. We must build public schools and universities. That would balance things out and force private schools to revise their fees,” says Bassirou Gnaboné, a Master’s student in Taxation.

Finally, some observers note that regulation alone will not solve the problem. They argue the government must also invest more in public school construction, teacher recruitment, and infrastructure improvements. This approach could, in the long run, reduce families’ heavy reliance on private education.