Burkina Faso pivots to vocational training in education overhaul
Captain Ibrahim Traoré, President of Burkina Faso, has placed education at the center of his national development project. His administration views educational reform as a strategic lever to propel the country toward sustainable growth, aiming to create a skilled, employable youth capable of meeting labour market demands and contributing to national reconstruction.
A major pillar of this reform is the strengthening of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (EFTP). The government plans to invest in creating programs tailored to the nation’s economic and industrial realities.
The goal is to train competent youth for high-potential sectors like agriculture, construction, energy, and technology, aligning skills with market needs to ensure stable, rewarding employment.
A crucial step in this initiative was the National Forum on EFTP, held in Ouagadougou on October 27, 2025.
Under the theme of “educational renewal,” the forum gathered experts and officials from neighboring countries, including Mali, Niger, and the Republic of Congo.
It served to draft a shared roadmap for improving the effectiveness of technical education and to foster private-sector partnerships that will ease youth integration into the workforce.
Through this dynamic, the Burkinabe government aims to transform its education system into an engine for growth and prosperity.
This foundational restructuring is designed to bridge existing gaps while better preparing the younger generation for tomorrow’s challenges, a process deemed essential for securing a promising future for Burkina Faso’s youth and the nation as a whole.
Cédric KABORE
