“School fees are so high that capping them would somewhat relieve our parents and help them properly educate our children,” says Alain Damiba, a slam artist who believes that regulating fees is now more necessary than ever.
But will this regulation truly ease the burden on parents? Opinions are divided. Some argue that more investment is needed in public school construction. Others believe the measure could significantly reduce the financial pressure on households.
“It will greatly relieve parents, even if it’s just a reduction of 10,000 francs. Because today, life is hard, almost everything has gone up in the market while salaries have remained unchanged,” laments Giles Sawadogo, a father.
When asked about an ideal fee amount, several respondents suggested a cap between 50,000 and 100,000 FCFA per child per year, depending on the education level and services offered. Others prefer free access to educational institutions.
“If we could go to school for free, that would be great. For university, we could also adopt measures to make fees more affordable. The country needs more schools, especially for technical education. We must build public schools, public universities… That would balance things out and let private institutions know that public offerings are extensive, so they will have to review their fees,” says Bassirou Gnaboné, a Master I student in Taxation.
Finally, some observers note that regulation alone will not solve the problem. For them, the state must also invest more in building public schools, hiring teachers, and improving infrastructure. Such a solution could, in the long run, reduce families’ heavy reliance on private education.
