OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso Burkina Faso’s President Ibrahim Traoré has directed universities and technical institutions to prioritize practical innovation over purely theoretical academic research, insisting that students should create tangible solutions as part of their graduation requirements.
Speaking to young people in Yaadga, northern Burkina Faso, Traoré said PhD candidates in engineering and technology-related fields should be required to design, build, or reproduce useful products instead of submitting lengthy theoretical theses.
He encouraged students to make use of the internet to acquire practical knowledge, urging them to “copy everything you can copy except theory” if it helps them develop useful technologies.
According to the president, students pursuing technological disciplines should demonstrate their skills by manufacturing or creating something capable of addressing real societal challenges, particularly those linked to underdevelopment.
Traoré said the government is working to provide the infrastructure needed for students in universities and technical high schools to succeed, adding that institutions should shift their focus from theory to hands-on innovation.
He also extended the directive to technical secondary schools, saying students should be assessed based on their ability to produce practical inventions or replicate existing technologies rather than relying solely on classroom theory.
The president criticized the tradition of lengthy academic dissertations that, in his view, contribute little to national development, stressing that technical education should equip graduates to solve real-world problems.
Traoré further expressed concern that many PhD holders struggle to find employment outside academia, with some remaining unemployed or seeking government jobs, despite expectations that highly trained graduates should become innovators and job creators.
The directive reflects the government’s broader push to strengthen practical skills, innovation, and technology-driven development within Burkina Faso’s education system.
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