ANEP’s Man of the Year: Zacharia Tiemtoré succeeds Sibiri Korbéogo

As part of its activities, the National Association for the Well-being of Primary School Teachers of Burkina Faso (ANEP) (http://www.anep.fr.gd/) has annually elected the Person of the Year at the Ministry of National Education and Literacy since 2009.

The aim is to select, from among political and educational stakeholders, the individual who, beyond their official duties, has taken initiatives or performed noble acts in support of quality basic education and literacy in our country. Deeply committed to its overall objective of contributing to the qualitative and quantitative improvement of Burkina Faso’s basic education system, the National Association for the Well-being of Primary School Teachers of Burkina Faso intends, through this initiative, to encourage those deeply committed to the emergence of a civic-minded school system and the genuine development of human capital in Burkina Faso.

Following Dr. Lancina Sanou, founder of the Alpha Solidarity Complex in Bobo-Dioulasso, who was elected Man of the Year for the basic education system in 2009, Alassane Traoré, former Director of Human Resources for the Ministry of National Education and Literacy (MENA) in 2010, and Sibiri Korbéogo, current Director General of Basic Education in 2011, it is now Zacharia Tiemtoré, former Minister Delegate in charge of Literacy and Non-Formal Education, who has been elected Man of the Year for the MENA in 2012 by primary school teachers and facilitators of the CPAF (Community-Based Primary Education Centers) mobilized within the ANEP (National Association of Primary Education Professionals). Indeed, with the arrival of Mr. Zacharia Tiemtoré as Minister Delegate in charge of Literacy and Non-Formal Education, successful initiatives were undertaken to lift as many Burkinabè as possible out of illiteracy. As we know, in 2012, the MENA adopted the Special Literacy Campaign (CSA) which aims to be a formula for accelerating and boosting strategies that promote the development of literacy and non-formal education in achieving the objectives of the National Literacy Acceleration Program (PRONAA) 2011-2015.According to the Ministry of National Education, this special campaign is designed within the context of seeking multifaceted solutions to the access and quality problems that hinder the implementation of the Education for All resolution, which aims to eradicate illiteracy as a strategy for combating poverty. In practice, Zacharia Tiemtoré’s commitment and dedication to reconciling practical implementation with other strategies that rely on solidarity, national will, and the capacity to mobilize all resources to accelerate literacy and meet, or even anticipate, the 60% literacy target set for 2015 has been truly remarkable. This has, among other things, enabled the enrollment of 70,000 new students in the system. women and men in the over 15 age group, the evaluation of at least 5,000 adolescent boys and girls who have reached the second year of training in ENF structures and the diversification of innovative approaches aimed at accelerating the achievement of the objectives of the PDSEB and the PRONAA, while giving pride of place to the chained formula;

Certainly, these are strategic choices to the credit of the entire ministerial department and all stakeholders in the literacy chain, but Zacharia Tiemtoré’s contribution has been quite significant, given the actions he has taken and/or the directions he has taken, which have enabled him to propel this sub-sector of literacy in Burkina Faso.

While commending all those who work tirelessly for the effective and efficient development of education for our children, the future builders of the nation, we extend our sincere congratulations and encouragement to Zacharia Tiemtoré, who was named 2012 MENA Man of the Year by primary school teachers in Burkina Faso.

Henri S. TAPSOBA

ANEP Communications Department