A New Horizon for Learning: Kadidiatou’s Dream Takes Shape in Zongo

At Zongo High School in Ouagadougou, hope is rising among young learners as new classrooms transform their learning environment. For 17‑year‑old Kadidiatou Kologo, a 10th‑grade student, this change represents much more than improved infrastructure—it brings the promise of finally studying in dignity.

For years, Kadidiatou shared a cramped desk with two other classmates in a classroom holding 127 students. The heat, lack of space, and heavy fatigue challenged her ability to concentrate. “We are 127 students in this classroom. When it’s hot, the sweat, the smells, and the fatigue make it hard to concentrate. Honestly, we are not studying in good conditions,” she explains.

Until recently, Zongo was a modest general education middle school with eight classrooms. As more internally displaced students settled in the area, enrollment surged beyond the school’s capacity. 

By 2023, overcrowding became so severe that evaluations and teaching activities could no longer take place properly. The school’s transition to a high school brought new responsibilities—and an urgent need for more infrastructure.

A New Building Brings Relief

That need was met in 2025 when UNICEF, responding to a request from the Ministry of Secondary Education and Vocational and Technical Training (MESFPT), funded the construction of a three‑classroom building through support from the Japanese Committee for UNICEF.

Though the walls have yet to be painted, the new building stands strong and cool in the school courtyard, promising a better future for students like Kadidiatou.

For Principal Kabré Rasmané, the relief is palpable. Now responsible for 1,092 students, he recalls the pressure of managing such numbers in overcrowded conditions. “We waited for this building with a lot of anxiety and hope. Today we are relieved. Our goal is to have 80 to 90 students per class so that teachers and learners can work in good conditions,” he says.

While awaiting final handover, the new classrooms are already in use—particularly during evaluations, where they help reduce congestion.

Kadidiatou experienced the impact firsthand during a recent test. For the first time, she had her own desk and an unobstructed view of the board. The quiet, interrupted only by the soft shuffle of notebooks, allowed her to focus deeply. “I was so inspired during the test that I felt as if knowledge was coming directly to meet me,” she says with joy.

A Source of Pride for Parents

Parents have also welcomed the new infrastructure warmly. Hamidou Compaoré, President of the School Council, proudly recounts following the construction step by step alongside the contractor. “We are happy and thank UNICEF for this building of three classrooms, which is our pride. We cannot afford private schools, so we parents will ensure the building is well maintained,” he affirms.

This initiative is part of UNICEF’s broader partnership with MESFPT to strengthen secondary education across Burkina Faso. With financial support from the Japanese Committee for UNICEF, seven child‑friendly quality schools are currently under construction in four regions—Plateau Central, Centre, Nord, and Centre‑Nord—set to welcome 1,260 learners, half of them girls.

A Future Built on Opportunity

For students like Kadidiatou, these developments are life‑changing. “My dream is to become a schoolteacher, even though in this overcrowded classroom, following lessons is a challenge,” she says. With new learning spaces emerging across the country, that dream—and the dreams of countless others—feels closer than ever.