2011 Event
Private Schools Provide Better Higher Education
On Thursday, November 3rd, the American Center hosted an Oxford Style debate on education, exploring the proposition “The private sector is better positioned to provide a superior education.” Burkinabè educators from the public and private sector provided a litany of arguments in support of both public and private University education.
Professor Jean Zida from the University of Ouagadougou, Education Inspector and Provincial Director of the elementary education Mr. Halidou Pafadnam, Professor Ambroise Zagré rector of the private Université Libre du Burkina, and education specialist Mrs. Florentine Bambara served as our debaters. Per the rules of Oxford debate, the audience was invited to vote for or against the proposition at the beginning of the event. The side that changes the most opinions, not who earns the most votes, wins the debate. Then each debater presented their arguments on the topic, followed by a question and answer session with the audience. At the end the debaters were provided an opportunity to provide their closing arguments and the audience voted for a second time.
In the end, the audience comprised of students, professors and members of the general community found the arguments in favor of public tertiary education more persuasive.