More than 2,000 student civil servants from vocational training centers and schools will complete a three-month civic and military training at the SND center in Loumbila, and will be considered after the fact as reservists of the Burkinabè army.
The third promotion of the National Development Service (SND), comprising 2,146 young people from vocational training centers and schools, joined the Loumbila training and production center (CFPL, Loumbila) on Monday, September 11, 2023. for their 3-month civic and military training.
This SND initiative aims to instill in these student civil servants and conscripts of the SND certain cardinal values on the management of public goods in accordance with the best interests of the Nation.
The training also aims to cultivate certain reflexes in these young people aged 18 to 30 to enable them to defend themselves in the context of the fight against terrorism in Burkina Faso.
These conscripts come from the National School of Financial Management (ENAREF), the National School of Public Health (ENSP), the National School of Magistrates (ENAM), the National School of Water and Forests ( INDEED).
Others also came from the Ecole Normale Supérieure of Koudougou (ENS), the Regional Directorate of the Institute for the Training of Education Personnel (INFPE, formerly ENEP of Loumbila), the National School of Works public (ENTP) etc.
The training will take place in two phases in the field, the first of which focuses, among other things, on the modules of civic-mindedness, patriotism, love of a job well done, and international humanitarian law.
The second stage will concern combat technique and the handling of weapons.
At the end of their 90-day stay at the CFPL, SND conscripts will be considered “reservists” or auxiliaries of the army.
The Director General of the SND, Colonel-Major Mathieu Benao, for his part, invited young people to maintain serenity and discipline throughout their initial training.
According to him, the government has instructed the resumption of civic and military training, for the benefit of young people leaving state schools and professional training centers.
Colonel-Major Bénao specified that these young people constitute a reserve for the benefit of the National Armed Forces (FAN), as part of the fight against insecurity.
“We have already been experimenting for two years, this year is really a pivotal year, we must be able to test our training and reception capacities in our training centers to truly launch training on a large scale,” he indicated.
He first insisted on civic training because it will allow young people to acquire certain values which will make them “integral” Burkinabè and ready to defend their homeland.
The boss of the SND then highlighted the military aspect which consists of learning the profession of handling weapons and defending the national territory.
“We are starting the training this Monday, September 11, 2023 and it will certainly end on December 10,” he noted.
Alicia Mireille Fankani, a 24-year-old civil servant student from the Hauts-Bassins National Institute for Education Personnel Training, was delighted with her participation in civic and military training.
In his opinion, this 90-day training will allow them to put themselves in the shoes of our Defense and Security Forces (FDS) and the Volunteers for the Defense of the Fatherland (VDP).
“With this training, perhaps there will be young people who will have the love to defend the homeland,” she added.
Same story for Daouda Sangli, from the National Social Work Training Institute of Gaoua, who maintains that military service is a good thing for him.
For this 30-year-old, the SND will provide them with knowledge from another field which constitutes an integral part of their career.
Mr. Sangli noted that the training is welcome, given the current situation in the country.
On August 17, 2023, the Transitional Legislative Assembly (ALT) adopted a bill on civic and military training in Burkina Faso. Once the law is promulgated by the government, the SND will concern young people aged 18 to 35.
Source: Burkina Information Agency