Reforming the curriculum for improved learning in Burkina Faso

  • P Project/Program

A Active

Key Information

The curriculum reform launched by the Ministry of Education and Literacy is central to the government’s plan to improve the quality of education and ensure more children complete basic education. With 70 percent of the population under 20 years of age, developing human capital by ensuring that all children are in school and learning will be vital for the country’s economic development. The new curriculum is more streamlined and focuses on learning rather than simply “transmitting” knowledge. In a pilot, the curriculum was tested in six of Burkina Faso’s 13 districts in rural, urban, and peri-urban areas to see how it performed in these different settings. The new curriculum also covers social issues like early marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM), which had previously not been discussed in the classroom. With an estimated 76 percent of girls aged 15–17 having experienced FGM, this is a critical topic to address. The new curriculum also tackles environmental issues and social behavior. This current grant, channeled through a pooled fund to better align donor funding, will help support the implementation of the country’s 2017-2030 education sector plan.


Lead Implementing Government(s)

Burkina Faso

Location(s)

Sub-Saharan Africa

Burkina Faso

Government Affiliation

Government-affiliated program

Years

2002 -

Ministry Affiliation

Ministry of Education and Literacy

COVID-19 Response

Unknown

Geographic Scope

National

Meets gender-transformative education criteria from the TES  

Unknown

Areas of Work Back to Top

Education areas

Attainment

  • Primary completion
  • Primary enrollment

Quality

  • Curricula/lesson plans
  • School quality

Cross-cutting areas

  • Climate change
  • Community sensitization
  • Early/child marriage
  • Emergencies and protracted crises
  • Female genital mutilation/cutting
  • Gender equality
  • Other cultural practices
  • Social and gender norms and beliefs

Program participants

Target Audience(s)

Boys (both in school and out of school), Girls (both in school and out of school), Youth

Age

Not applicable or unknown

School Enrolment Status

Some in school

School Level

  • Lower primary
  • Upper primary

Other populations reached

  • Fathers
  • Mothers
  • Other community members - female
  • Other community members - male
  • Other family members
  • Teachers - female
  • Teachers - male

Participants include

  • N/A

Program Approaches Back to Top

Community engagement/advocacy/sensitization

  • Community mobilization
  • General awareness-raising/community engagement

Curriculum/learning

  • Gender-sensitive curricula
  • Remedial education/skills

Other

  • Other activities to address/end violence (not captured above)

Teaching

  • In-service teacher training – gender-responsive pedagogy

Women's empowerment programs

  • Empowerment training

Program Goals Back to Top

Education goals

  • Improved academic skills (literacy and numeracy)
  • Improved critical thinking
  • Improved social and emotional learning/skills and mindsets
  • Increased grade attainment
  • Increased primary school completion
  • Increased years of schooling
  • Reduced absenteeism
  • Reduced grade repetition

Cross-cutting goals

  • Changed social norms
  • Improved critical consciousness
  • Improved sexual and reproductive health
  • More equitable gender attitudes and norms
  • Reduced child marriage