Burkina Faso weighs capping private school fees amid mixed reactions from parents

Slameur artist Alain Damiba welcomes the potential cap on private school tuition, stating, “Educational costs are so high that capping them will somewhat relieve our parents and help them educate our children better.” He believes fee regulation is essential now more than ever.

However, opinions differ on whether this regulation will truly ease the burden on families. Some argue that the government should invest more in building public schools, while others think the measure could significantly reduce financial pressure on households.

“It will greatly relieve parents, even if it’s just a reduction of 10,000 francs. Because life is tough today—almost everything has gone up in price while salaries have stayed the same,” laments father Giles Sawadogo.

When asked about an ideal fee amount, several respondents suggested a cap between 50,000 and 100,000 FCFA per child per year, depending on the grade level and services offered. Others advocate for free access to educational institutions entirely.

“If we could go to school for free, that would be great. For university, we can also adopt measures for more affordable fees. The country needs more institutions, especially technical schools. We need to build public schools and public universities… That would balance things a bit and let the private sector know that public offerings are vast, forcing them to revise their tuition fees,” says Bassirou Gnaboné, a Master I Taxation student.

Finally, some observers caution that regulation alone will not solve the problem. They insist the state must also invest more in building public schools, hiring teachers, and improving infrastructure. Such an approach could, in the long run, reduce families’ heavy reliance on private education.