DIAPAGA: In a heartfelt gesture of community support, the citizen watch and focal points of the presidential initiative for community development organized a ceremony on Saturday, November 30, 2024, in Diapaga. The event focused on handing over food and financial assistance to volunteer primary and secondary school teachers in the city who have been providing free lessons.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the support comprised one and a half tons of food, including seven 100kg bags of millet, three 100kg bags of corn, one 100kg bag of peanuts, one 100kg bag of beans, and one 100kg bag of unparboiled rice. Additionally, a sum of 205,000 CFA francs was provided. This initiative was a way for the parents of students to express their gratitude to forty-one volunteer teachers who stepped in to ensure the continuation of the 2024-2025 school year while awaiting the arrival of state-assigned teachers.
Pierre Yonli, the focal point of IPDC, emphasized the significance of the teachers’ patriotic gesture, hig
hlighting their willingness to impart knowledge to their younger peers without charge. This community effort was sparked by a meeting on November 5, where discussions focused on the challenges faced by teachers and the urgent need to save the school year. Parents reaffirmed their commitment to supporting these educators to overcome educational challenges in Tapoa.
The community initiative is expected to be ongoing, as parents have pledged continued support to the volunteer teachers until the state-appointed teachers arrive. Such gestures are seen as crucial by Bapougouni Gnoula, the spokesperson for the beneficiaries, who remarked that the food supplies would meet essential needs and serve as a motivating factor for the teachers.
The ceremony was attended by key figures, including Pascal Thiombiano, the Provincial Director in charge of education in Tapoa, and Boureima Ouédraogo, the principal of Untaani high school in Diapaga.
