Action plan to solve university crisis

An action plan costing nearly FCFA2 billion (US$3.8 million) to deal with Burkina Faso’s university crisis has been submitted to Prime Minister Luc Adolphe Tiao.

The report, Higher Education in Burkina Faso: Diagnosis, challenges and regularising its institutions, was compiled by an ad hoc committee of academics and former ministers and university presidents set up three months ago under the prime minister.

The committee’s task was to set out problems facing the sector, and propose solutions to the backwardness encountered in certain institutions, reported Fasozine of Ouagadougou.

After consultations with university and student representatives, parents’ associations, and political, religious and other interested parties, the committee proposed a plan which would cost FCFA1,910 billion (US$3.7 billion) to implement, said Fasozine.

http://LeFaso.net said the recommendations focused on improvement of governance, quality of education and the courses on offer, development of infrastructure and facilities, integration of ICTs, and adjustment to the ‘LMD’ reform based on the Bologna process of three, five and eight years higher education.

It also proposed expansion of research and innovation in higher education institutions, and greater cooperation with international partners.

The report also called on the government to negotiate with everyone concerned for a five-year moratorium on any disruption of academic activities, reported Fasozine.

“That is the absolutely essential condition for catching up on the accumulated falling behind,” said Professor Traoré, who led the commission.

Prime Minister Tiao said taking the action demanded a collective, inclusive, participatory and responsible effort. He called on heads of public and private higher education institutions, teachers and unions to give priority to dialogue and to be “architects of university reform”.

Students must change their behaviour, and be more responsible and accountable in the educational process, with more respect for the rules based on consensus.

“Burkina Faso cannot afford the luxury of seeing generations of young people sacrifice their future and that of our country by endless demands, to the detriment of a stronger awareness of their duties and responsibilities in a global, competitive economy,” said Tiao.

* This article is drawn from local media. University World News cannot vouch for the accuracy of the original report.