The education in Burkina Faso is categorized as primary, secondary and higher education. Girls literacy rate is low and boys are given preference in receiving education. The education in Burkina Faso is not free. Most of the families are poor due to lack of opportunities and skills and cannot pay for schooling of children. Students need taking national examinations to pass a level and to take admission from lower level to upper level like from primary level to middle level, etc, etc. Students willing to earn higher degree or diploma etc need passing in secondary level examination. According to a report published by United Nations, Burkina Faso is one among the most illiterate countries in the world with literacy rate only 12.8%.

The statistical figures shown below speak well about education in Burkina Faso.

• Participation in Education
• Primary Enrolment
• Secondary Enrolment
• Tertiary Enrolment
• Progression and Completion in Education

Participation in Education

Pre-primary		1991	1999	2002		2004	2004 Regional average
GER (%)	MF	1	2	(3)	1	...	(3)	12
	M	1	2	(3)	1	...	(3)	13
	F	1	2	(3)	1	...	(3)	12

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Primary Enrolment

Primary		1991	1999	2002		2004	2004 Regional average
GER (%)	MF	36	44	(3)	47	53	91
	M	44	52	(3)	54	59	96
	F	28	36	(3)	40	47	85
NER (%)	MF	29	35	(3)	37	40	(3)	65
	M	35	41	(3)	43	46	(3)	67
	F	23	29	(3)	31	35	(3)	63

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Secondary Enrolment

Secondary		1991		1999	2002		2004		2004 Regional average
GER (%)	MF	-	7	10	(3)	11	(3)	12	(3)	30
	M	(4)	9	13	(3)	13	(3)	14	(3)	33
	F	(4)	5	8	(3)	9	(3)	10	(3)	26
NER (%)	MF	...		9	(3)	9	(3)	10	(3)	24
	M	...		11	(3)	10	(3)	11	(3)	26
	F	...		7	(3)	7	(3)	8	(3)	21

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Tertiary Enrolment

Tertiary		1991	1999	2002	2004		2004 Regional average
GER (%)	MF	1	1	1	(3)	2	(3)	5
	M	1	2	2	(3)	3	(3)	6
	F	-	-	1	(3)	1	(3)	4

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Progression and Completion in Education

School life expectancy ISCED 1-6 (years)	(3)	4
Percentage of repeaters, primary (%)		13
Survival rate to grade 5 (%)	(1)	76
Gross intake ratio to last grade of primary (%)		29
Primary to secondary transition rate (%)	(3)(1)	40