“The cost of schooling has become so prohibitive that capping fees would offer significant relief to parents, enabling them to better educate our children,” remarked Alain Damiba, an acclaimed slam artist, emphasizing the urgent need for regulated tuition rates today.
However, will such a regulation truly alleviate the financial burden on families? Opinions remain divided. Some argue for greater investment in constructing public schools, while others believe the measure could substantially ease household financial pressure.
“Even a reduction of just 10,000 CFA francs would immensely help parents. Life is incredibly tough these days; nearly all market prices have soared, yet salaries have remained stagnant,” lamented Giles Sawadogo, a father of a family, expressing his frustration.
When asked about an ideal amount, many individuals consulted suggested a cap ranging between 50,000 and 100,000 FCFA per child annually, contingent on the educational level and services provided. Others expressed a preference for entirely free access to educational institutions.
“If we could attend school for free, that would be wonderful. For university, similar measures could be adopted to make fees more accessible. Our nation requires more institutions, particularly in technical education. We need to build public schools, public universities… This would help balance the system and make private institutions realize that public offerings are extensive, thereby compelling them to reconsider their tuition fees,” affirmed Bassirou Gnaboné, a Master I Taxation student.
Ultimately, some observers caution that regulation alone will not solve the underlying issue. They contend that the state must also increase its investment in building public schools, recruiting more teachers, and enhancing infrastructure. Such a long-term strategy could diminish families’ heavy reliance on the private education sector.
