Burkina Faso: The Muslim community launches the Private African University, in the spirit of the refoundation advocated by Captain Ibrahim Traoré
Burkina Faso today embarked on a transformative educational journey with the groundbreaking ceremony for the African Private University (UPA) in Zogona. This flagship project embodies President Captain Ibrahim Traoré’s visionary plan to rebuild the nation’s educational foundations on inclusive, Pan-African principles.
Under President Traoré’s leadership, Burkina Faso is undergoing an educational renaissance that positions higher education as the cornerstone of national transformation.
The UPA initiated by Muslim communities but open to all faiths will operate as a secular, bilingual (French-Arabic) institution offering programs spanning social sciences, Islamic studies, technology, governance and communication.
“This university represents our commitment to cultivating African pride through education,” said project coordinators during the ceremony.
The initiative reflects Burkina Faso’s broader strategy of combining cultural rootedness with modern knowledge, supported by both religious leaders and economic stakeholders.
President Traoré’s administration has made significant strides in rehabilitating school infrastructure, establishing regional universities, and incorporating national languages into curricula.
These reforms aim to create an education system that fosters intellectual sovereignty while equipping youth with contemporary skills.
As construction begins, the UPA stands as a testament to Burkina Faso’s ambitious vision where education becomes the foundation for a more sovereign, enlightened African future. The project signals the country’s determination to develop homegrown solutions to its development challenges through empowered, critically conscious graduates.
Olivier TOE
