Launch of ADEA Triennale in Burkina Faso kicks off national dialogue on education and the country’s new development strategy

Ouagadougou, 18 February 2011. The kickoff of the preparations for the 2011 ADEA Triennale was given yesterday in Ouagadougou, on the occasion of the official launch organized under the patronage of the Prime Minister of Burkina Faso, Mr. Tertius Zongo.

A year before the Triennale is to be held, the launch was aimed at mobilizing all stakeholders in Burkina Faso's development to address the theme of the Triennale – "Promoting Critical Knowledge, Skills and Qualifications for the Sustainable Development of Africa: How to Design and Implement an Effective Response by Education and Training Systems" – in conjunction with the country's new Strategy for Accelerated Growth and Sustainable Development (SCADD).

The launch was in two parts:

•   a seminar on the 2011 Triennale and the SCADD;

•   an official ceremony launching the process of preparation for the Triennale in Burkina

  Faso.
  The launch was preceded on 15 February by a seminar for the Burkina Faso press corps, in order to inform the media on educational issues and the Triennale theme.

  Some 300 people participated in the launch, which saw extensive participation by Burkina Faso society. It was attended by representatives of the private sector, social and professional organizations, civil society organizations, trade unions and youth organizations, and education professionals, as well as technical and financial partners, NGOs and sub-regional institutions.

  The aim of the launch seminar was to inform all development stakeholders about both the Triennale theme and the Strategy for Accelerated Growth and Sustainable Development (SCADD), so that each of the two could be considered in the light of the other, and a consultation process initiated between the finance ministry, education ministries and all other stakeholders in development. These consultations are aimed at improving the linkages between the education and training systems, economic and social needs, and the country's development vision as reflected in the SCADD.

  The official launch ceremony featured speeches by the Executive Secretary of ADEA, the President of the National Youth Council, the Vice-President of the Consultation Framework for NGOs and Associations Active in Basic Education (CCEB) of Burkina Faso, the Chair of the Vocational Training Committee of Burkina Faso's Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Crafts, and the lead representative of Burkina Faso's technical and financial partners.

  Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA)

  African Development Bank – Temporary Relocation Agency 13 avenue du Ghana, BP 323, 1002 Tunis Belvédère, Tunisia Tel.: +216/ 71 10 39 00 Fax: +216/ 71 25 26 69
  Email: adea@afdb.org Website: www.ADEAnet.org

ADEA Executive Secretary Ahlin Byll-Cataria spoke of the events currently shaking the countries of North Africa and the Near East, and of the underlying dismay and confusion of young people. "We need to look with a critical eye at our development policies, particularly the strategic policies for our education and training systems, which certainly produce a lot of degree- holders, but often lose sight of the problems of joining society and the workforce, of starting a business, and of employability," he declared. "We cannot stay closeted off in our education and training sector... The main Triennale theme touches on all aspects of development and invites us to consider it in an intersectoral and holistic manner, with the involvement of all parties active in development."

The President of the National Youth Council, Mr. Boris Oueadraogo, expressed his appreciation to ADEA for listening to and involving the African youth in the preparations of the Triennale. “Education should and can contribute to reinforcing young people’s understanding of, and their commitment to, the development process” he declared. He also stated that “education, like peace, should be built on the foundations of our society’s intellectual and moral solidarity”, and that “democracy requires a culture of democracy, which should be developed through education”.

The other speakers – the Vice-President of the Consultation Framework for NGOs and Associations Active in Basic Education (CCEB) of Burkina Faso, Mr. Boureima Ouedraogo; the Chair of the Vocational Training Committee of Burkina Faso's Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Crafts, Mr. Koné Moussa; and the lead representative of the technical and financial partners, Mr. Hervé Périès – expressed their commitment to support Burkina Faso to implement the SCADD and to accompany ADEA in the reflections of the Triennale.

Prime Minister Tertius Zongo, whose address was read by the Minister of Education and Literacy, Ms. Odile Bonkoungou, noted that the President of Burkina Faso, Mr. Blaise Compaoré, had reaffirmed the high priority given to human capacity building, which is reflected in the new five-year program (2011-2015) and the SCADD. He reviewed the many challenges still to be tackled and praised the theme selected for the Triennale, at a time when Burkina Faso has just adopted the SCADD and the new strategic development plan for basic education (2011- 2020). "Governments have the responsibility of building an Africa of opportunity by laying the groundwork for an environment conducive to sustainable, endogenous, integrated and harmonious development," he declared. "This can be done, through our cultural reserves, our linguistic heritage, our ecological potential, our natural resources, the size of our continent, our human potential, our young people and our diaspora."

The Triennale (formerly Biennale) on Education and Training in Africa, organized by ADEA, is the world's leading event on education in Africa, in terms of both attendance – more than 600 people participated in the last Biennale in Maputo, including sixty African ministers – and the content of the proceedings, which are based on extensive research and consultation by and among stakeholders in education and training.

For further information on the 2011 Triennale, please visit the ADEA website:

www.adeanet.org

Press contacts:
Thanh-Hoa Desruelles, External Relations and Communication, ADEA, t.desruelles@afdb.orgTel. in Tunis: +216/ 21 69 11 46
Tel. in Ouagadougou: +226/ 75 70 41 20

Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA)

African Development Bank – Temporary Relocation Agency 13 avenue du Ghana, BP 323, 1002 Tunis Belvédère, Tunisia Tel.: +216/ 71 10 39 00 Fax: +216/ 71 25 26 69
Email: adea@afdb.org Website: www.ADEAnet.org

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Mr. Gueswinde Kinda, Communication Director, Ministry of Education and Literacy, Burkina Faso,agueswinde@yahoo.fr
Tel. in Ouagadougou: +226/ 70 28 39 59