June 2019 – In Ouadalan Province in Burkina Faso, 169 schools, or 87 percent of all schools in that province, have closed due to threats from violent extremist organizations. This includes Déou and Gorom-Gorom, the two largest provincial communities. More than 2,000 students in Déou and approximately 6,000 students in Gorom-Gorom were impacted.  In response, USAID/OTI’s Burkina Faso Regional Program partnered with DENAANGU SUKA, a local group, to organize a month-long preparatory and remedial learning course to ensure these students did not fall behind in their studies.

For two weeks, Burkinabe school teachers provided intensive tutoring sessions and practice exams to help students prepare for their next-level entrance exams. The turnout was so large that many of the grade-five students peered through windows and stood in doorways to listen to the teachers instructing inside the full classroom. Among the 100 grade-five students who attended the courses, 75 passed the exam, including 46 girls—20 percent higher than the national achievement rate. Forty-three percent of high school student participants passed their exams, which is seven percent higher than the national average.

The Mayor of Gorom expressed appreciation for the educational prep. 

“We are very pleased with the work that was done because it has helped to improve the success rate of the municipality of Gorom-Gorom, and this is a great relief for us local authorities and for parents,”the Mayor said. 

Many of the students had not attended formal classes since November 2018 —when they fled from other villages. Yet, they shared optimism following the exams:   

“I left  my village near Déou. We had to go because we were not secure, and the schools have closed. The remedial courses were very helpful, and I am so happy because I passed my exam. I got my certificate, and, in the future, I want to become a teacher to teach students and help them to succeed [in their lives],” noted a female student who passed the national exam.

By overcoming disruptions to their education due to insecurity,  these students remain hopeful and resilient, despite navigating a complex security environment. 

“I am very happy because thanks to these remedial classes, I got my primary school certificate. This is important because I want to become a midwife to help women in my community,” said another female student from Ouro.