Burkina Faso / Joseph Kisembo University: Students welcome the extension of August and September courses to make up for delays

When we walked through the university gates at 8am, the campus was not as crowded as usual. “Most students are away for their exams (civil service recruitment exam, editor’s note), and classes are mostly scheduled in the afternoon,” Prisca Kima, a first-year English major, told us. Under the shade of the trees at the Unit for Training and Research in Literature, Art and Communication (UFR/LAC), she crossed her arms, having arrived late and her teacher refusing her entry into the classroom. “I went to write for a competition, that’s why I’m late. But the teacher won’t let me in,” she suggested desperately.

The student said the move to extend the classes during the holidays was a good one. “It is true that we will not have holidays, but catching up is more important. This will allow us to move forward quickly,” she said, hoping that students will no longer need four to five years to get their licenses, instead of three. With these two-week classes, she believes a miracle solution to the academic overlap is about to be found. “With the two-week class, we have completed the coursework and we have some practical work (TP). In principle we should be able to finish the second semester assignments in September,” the student hopes.

In the room she cannot access, her comrades express the same wish; to catch up on delays. “This is a good move, we will be on the same level as our comrades in the private sector,” Thérèse Koala says happily. “This will help reduce academic delays and allow for quick progress in the next class,” adds her neighbor, Inès Somé.

The same story was heard from Amandine Zongo, a second-year English Studies student. “It is true that it was not easy due to the rain and the scheduling of the competition, but I think it is good for the students,” she said. Due to this move, the S4 classes (second year classes) will be evacuated. “We have completed our Form 3 assignments and are taking Form 4 classes. There are not many modules left to complete L2,” the young girl confided.

As others have said, everything is urgent. In Hall L, students from Life and Earth Sciences (SVT) are on duty. There is silence, and time is running out. These second-year students are completing their Structural Biochemistry Form 3 homework. They don’t want to be distracted by answering any questions.

About 30 meters away from them, in Hall F, sixth-year medical students were in class. We decided to wait until break to talk to these future doctors. During break, the extension representative addressed his comrades and asked for volunteers to comment on the decision. No problem, he would not have a response. But when he asked if they agreed to continue classes in August and September, their answer was a resounding “no” that shook the large room of Hall F. They did not agree, but did not want to talk either. About our microphone. Break time passed, and one student raised his finger and began to speak. They consulted with the extension representative to better answer the question. After meeting, two people volunteered to speak on the issue.

A very good idea

Pingdwendé Franck Ouédraogo is the promotion representative for the sixth year of medicine. He said that the move to extend the courses is beneficial. “We are aware of the delays and aware of the impact it has on our professional commitment. We are happy to support this measure to eliminate the delays,” the representative continued. “We cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs,” the student said, referring to the inconvenience caused by this measure to residents of the Zogona campus. “It is difficult to reach the campus due to the rainy season. Some students should use these two months to do some small jobs in order to pay their tuition fees after the resumption of classes,” said the future white coat wearer. Nevertheless, he believes that students are ready to sacrifice their holidays to solve the problem of academic delays. The will exists at the student level, he asked, but what about the teachers? He expressed the hope that the relevant departments of the school will fulfill their commitment and take measures to make this initiative sustainable. “We students fulfill our commitment by attending classes. The authorities should also fulfill their responsibilities by reviewing in time,” he asked. For him, from the first year, the results of the review always take time. “Will the rectification and review be done on time? “” he asked, continuing that it would be a waste of time if the review was done for another three months while students were in class. Sometimes, students from UFR Health Sciences (SDS) suggest that the administration arrange homework while classes are in session. “We asked for homework to be arranged so that we can do it while we are doing it, rather than waiting until the end of the course. Otherwise, it would be complicated to verify for those who know medicine, with multiple modules. “The student concluded.

Issoufou Kiemtoré also plays the same trumpet as his representatives. But prefers to focus on the socio-economic impact. According to him, there are more than 600 students in the Faculty of Medicine who have not been able to renew their scholarships and the National Education and Research Fund (FONER). He said that he launched this campaign to allow these students to benefit from the special deposit meeting, which is a call from the heart.

FESCI-BF demands “We need to conduct an assessment in October”

The Burkina Faso Student and School Integrity Federation (FESCI-BF) welcomes the implementation of this measure, which is its first concern. The union structure, through its National Secretary General, Thomas Bamouni, encourages students to play their part in resolving these delays. “This is the first struggle within FESCI-BF, because it affects the academic, social and even family aspects,” noted the first head of the union structure. On July 1, 2024, we had a meeting with the higher education authorities to present this proposal. We raised concerns such as teaching staff, catering, accommodation, mobility, etc. ” he said, confirming that assurances had been given regarding these issues. The university met with UFR officials to address the issue and ask for their support. This is how the measure will be implemented, the Master of Humanities student explained. According to him, the school bus promises to guarantee the continuity of meals, accommodation, student travel. The issue of forming a correction jury has also been closed. With all these provisions, FESCI-BF hopes that this measure will really help find solutions to delays. If after all these efforts, the results are not evident, FESCI-BF does not intend to remain silent. The National Secretary General insisted that a “clear” and “precise” evaluation should be carried out to assess the impact of the measure in the two months of October.

In a note dated June 7, 2024 from the Rector of the Joseph Ki Zebo University, the first priority of the Minister in charge of the 2024 target contract is to eliminate academic delays before the start of the 2024-2025 academic year. To achieve this goal, the university has prepared an operational plan which also provides for administrative and academic returns for bachelor’s degree holders in 2024. According to this note, all measures have been taken to make up for the delays.

Serge Fish Key

Lefaso.com