Education
As is apparent from the country’s literacy rate, education in Burkina Faso suffers from many problems. According to government policy, education is free and mandatory for children up to 16 years of age. In reality however, only 44% of these children attend school. Many factors contribute to this situation. First of all, when the costs of essential educational materials and “school fees” are considered, education is no longer free and in fact costs too much for many families. Also, a child going to school cannot help at home or in the fields.
Even fewer Burkinabé receive a secondary education. The country has three universities, but in actual fact, only 2.4% of the population receives higher education. The literacy rate for women demonstrates the status of women in Burkinabé society. In rural areas, 92% of women are illiterate.
