You will find below a list of the most popular international and bilingual schools for expats in Burkina Faso with fee information. It includes nursery schools, primary and secondary (high) schools and you will find the right school to prepare for International Baccalaureate, and other diploma in Burkina Faso. Some schools may follow the American or British curriculums with English speaking programs while others are regulated under the French education system.

Burkina Faso Education

Burkina Faso's education system is mainly influenced by the education system of France which formerly colonized the area. Schooling is compulsory in Burkina Faso from age 6 to 16. Education is free, but primary education is not always universally free as there are issues with government funding. Children are required to pay for school supplies, and communities are frequently responsible for constructing primary school buildings and teacher housing.

The official language of Burkina Faso is French and it is the common language of administration and education. The school week runs from Monday to Saturday with schools closed on Thursday. Subjects within the core curriculum usually include production which includes planting maize and keeping chickens. There is commonly a break between 12:00 and 15:00. International schools provide more standard curriculum and internationally accepted diplomas.

International Schools

International schools can be the perfect solution for an expat student (multinational corporation executives, children of diplomats, NGO staff) in Burkina Faso. There may be some local population, but the schools are geared for an international student body. Schools usually follow a curriculum model from the US, UK, France, Canada or Australia/New Zealand. Primary instruction may be any language (and multiple languages are usually taught), but it is usually in English, French, Spanish, German, or Japanese. Many schools provide similar standards of schooling around the globe, providing for an easy transition between schools whether they are in France or Vietnam. Schools often provide internationally accepted accreditation such as the international baccalaureate.

Admission and enrollment procedures vary from school to school. Space is often limited and preference may be given to students based on nationality. Tuition tends to be expensive based on local standards, but offers high standards of learning, boast smaller class sizes, first-rate facilities, and extracurricular. Boarding facilities are available at some schools, but most only provide day classes.

Accreditation

The CoIS (Council of International Schools) is a non-profit association of international schools and post-secondary institutions which provides educational accreditation, teacher and leadership recruitment services, links to higher education, governance assistance and help with founding new schools. Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA) is among the premier accrediting associations in the world. International schools of the area are may also be members of Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA) and West Africa International Schools Activities League (WAISAL). The Association for the Advancement of International Education (AAIE) accredits advanced courses.

Ouagadougou

African American Academy (Ecole Américaine de Ouaga 2000)
Address: 01 BP 35
Ouagadougou, Kadiogo, Burkina Faso
Tel: + 226 61 79 72 72 /  06 85 85 57
Email: aaaouaga@aceschools.online
Tuition Rates:Ranging from 1 000 000 - 3 000 000 FCFA a year

The African American Academy (American School of Ouaga 2000) is a pilot school of the ACE Foundation, an American NGO based in Johannesburg, South Africa which has signed a partnership agreement with the Burkinabè Ministry of National Education to promote use of new education technologies and multilingualism.

International School of Ouagadougou (ISO)
Address: 01 BP 35
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Tel: + 226 50-36-21-43
Tuition Rates: €4,119 - 14,067 per year

The International School of Ouagadougou is a non-profit day school with English instruction. The educational program caters to children in pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12. Classes include instruction in French, with American-style curriculum of English, history, science, and mathematics. Advanced Placement (AP) courses are offered for senior students in: biology, calculus, English language, English literature, French language and world history. ISO is fully accredited through the MSA, and a member of the AISA, WAISAL and AAIE.

French Schools in Burkina Faso

Ouagadougou

Lycée Saint-Exupery
Address: 01 BP 1478
Ouagadougou 01 Burkina Faso
Tel: + 226 50 33 13 08
Tuition Rates: Inquire at school

This French language school provides a French curriculum for students aged 3-18. Curriculum is dictated by the French Ministry of National Education and belongs to the Association of Parents of the Lycée Saint-Exupéry (EPA). It is linked with the French government through the Agency for French Teaching Abroad (EFMA).

Bobo Dioulasso

Ecole Française André Malraux
Address: 01 BP 194
Bobo Dioulasso
Tel: + 226 20 97 12 15
Tuition Rates: €1,649.50 - 2,321.80 per year

This French language school follows French curriculum as it is licensed and controlled by the French Ministry of National Education. It is secular provides courses from kindergarten to fourth instruction.