Program for Literacy and Training
Burkina Faso
The Program for Literacy and Training in Burkina
Faso began 20 years ago and currently operates in 750
villages in seven provinces in the eastern part of the
country. The program addresses the problems of primary
school dropouts and illiterate adults by providing
literacy training as well as training in technical skills.
The program for youth provides non-formal instruction
during flexible hours that allows students to
achieve a primary school certificate and re-enter the
formal system if desired. The program for adults supports
literacy training
while also providing
lessons in
agriculture, animal
breeding, and crafts.
Students are also
taught mathematics,
basic economics,
hygiene, and the
environment.
"I never had an opportunity to go
to school. I signed up for the
Literacy and Training Program
because I wanted to learn a craft.
Today, I work as a tailor and
have opened my own shop.…
I am proud to be independent.”
Matthieu Lompo Maldjoa, tailor
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Significant strides have been made to include women
and girls. In 1986, 38 percent of learners were female,
increasing to 53 percent by 2005. Since its inception,
the program has enabled 185,256 people to become
literate, or 42 percent of the illiterate population in the
target area. The gains are even more impressive given
the literacy standards. For a person to be declared literate
in the program, they must be able to read, write, do
math, and be able to assume the role of a secretary or
treasurer in a local organization.
Several innovative aspects to the program are noteworthy.
First, the program leaves to learning groups the
choice of the hours and days of the program, thus
making it as convenient and accessible as possible.
Second, by offering an officially recognized “equivalency”
program for primary school, students who have
dropped out of school for whatever reason (e.g., ill
parents) are able to continue learning and even re-enter
the formal system, including secondary school. Third,
the focus on local language literacy has led to an
increase in bilingual instruction in the country.
One of the organizations supported by the program,
Tin Tua (which means “Let’s Develop Ourselves
By Ourselves”), requires students to become literate
in their local language before going on to lessons in
French. Tin Tua students have a higher pass rate on the
national primary school exam (94 percent) than the
national average (74 percent).
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