Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso – The Minister of National Education, Joseph André Ouédraogo, expressed satisfaction on Friday with the advancement of science high school projects in districts 10 and 7 of Ouagadougou. His comments followed a visit to assess the progress of these important educational facilities.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the visit included tours of the Nioko 2 regional scientific high school in Kossodo, district 10, and the Jesuit scientific school (KoJUS) in Nagrin, district 7. The purpose of these visits was to observe firsthand the development of the construction work. Mr. Ouédraogo was pleased with the progress made, particularly at the Nioko 2 school, where he noted substantial advancement since his last visit.
During a visit last July to the Nagrin construction site, the Minister had observed a delay in work. However, four months later, he acknowledged considerable progress at the same site. Mr. Ouédraogo emphasized the importance of timely project completion, especially for facilities dedicated to students, underscoring the need for diligence to avoid penalizing students.
He also announced plans to return to the Jesuit scientific school of Nagrin in December to check if the contractors’ commitments to finalize the work on time have been honored.
Gaston Nimien, the technical secretary for the development of public establishments of excellence, highlighted the Transition Government’s efforts to promote science teaching in Burkina Faso. He pointed out the critical role of engineers in development and the need to address the deficit of science teachers in the country.
Currently, Burkina Faso has fifteen science high schools, including KoJUS, which is managed in partnership with the Jesuits but is funded publicly. Arnaud Ouiminga, the works controller for the Becotex office overseeing the KoJUS project, reported that the overall rate of work completion stands at 43%. Despite earlier delays due to organizational issues, the companies involved now aim to deliver the buildings by the end of December.
