«Tuition costs are so high that a cap would somewhat relieve our parents and help them educate our children properly,» says Alain Damiba, a slam artist who believes regulating fees is now more necessary than ever.
But would such regulation really ease the pressure on families? Opinions differ. Some argue the government should invest more in building public schools. Others think the measure could significantly reduce the financial strain on households.
«It would greatly help parents, even if it’s just a reduction of 10,000 francs. Life is hard today; practically everything has gone up while salaries haven’t changed,» laments Giles Sawadogo, a father.
When asked about an ideal amount, several respondents suggest a cap between 50,000 and 100,000 FCFA per child per year, depending on education level and services provided. 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 institutions, especially technical ones. We must build public schools and public universities. That would balance things out and force the private sector to know that public offerings are vast, so they’ll have to review their fees,» says Bassirou Gnaboné, a Master’s student in Taxation.
Finally, some observers note that regulation alone won’t solve the problem. They say 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.