False, Ibrahim Traoré has not made education free from primary to university level

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Claim: Multiple sources claim that primary to tertiary education has been made free in Burkina Faso. 

Verdict: False. DUBAWA’s checks reveal that the military leader has not made any such announcement in the West African country.

Full Text

Captain Ibrahim Traoré took over leadership of Burkina Faso in September 2022 through a military coup. He also removed the interim president, Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, just eight months after he had assumed office through a coup. 

Ibrahim Traoré believed that his predecessor was unable to deal with the Islamist insurgency that had plagued the West African nation. 

For the ensuing years, he has gained the attention and admiration of many Africans for what many believe is an effective running of the country. This was evident in the welcoming roar he received when he attended the swearing-in ceremony of Ghana’s current president, John Dramani Mahama, in January 2025. 

Multiple social media users have claimed that the modern-day military ruler has “wiped” tuition fees from nursery school to university in the West African country. 

A Facebook user, HELLO VYBES, shared the claim in a post suggesting that the admired leader has wiped school fees from primary to university.

“Breaking News: Burkina Faso President Ibrahim Traoré Abolishes School Fees, Declares Free Education From Primary to University,” the post was captioned.

Find similar claims shared on various social media platforms here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Dubawa investigated this claim due to its virality and potential to spread disinformation.

Verification 

DUBAWA’s checks revealed that President Traoré has not made any such announcements in Burkina Faso. No major media outlet in West Africa published on the issue.  

Also, DUBAWA searched for any news publication on the official website of “Ministère de L’Education Nationale, de l’Alphabétisation et de la Promotion des Langues Nationales,” the executive body in charge of education and related matters in Burkina Faso. There was no news or press releases on the matter. DUBAWA contacted the ministry to verify the veracity of the viral claim on social media. At the time of publication, the ministry has not yet responded.

Further, DUBAWA contacted a journalist with a local daily in Burkina Faso (Name withheld for security reasons). He confirmed that the military leader has not made any such announcement. 

“Wrong. It’s fake news. President Traoré never said that. Let alone the Minister of Education,” he said.

Conclusion 

The claim that President Ibrahim Traoré has waived all school fees, from primary to university, in Burkina Faso is false.