Dano, Burkina Faso — The 2025 baccalaureate session officially began on Tuesday, June 24, in the province of Ioba, where 1,500 candidates are sitting for the crucial national exam.
The formal launch took place at the provincial high school in Dano, presided over by the High Commissioner of Ioba, Innocents Ouattara.
At Jury 450 in the Dano centre, Mr. Ouattara ceremoniously opened the envelopes containing the first exam papers for the session.
Candidates in the A4 series began with the philosophy paper, while those in the D series tackled the French subject.
Addressing the candidates before the exams began, Mr. Ouattara offered words of encouragement. “For us, it’s about reassuring the candidates.
We told them that the composition is conducted like homework in class. We encouraged them to approach the subjects with great serenity,” he said, emphasising a calm and focused mindset for success.
The provincial director of secondary education, Joseph Kima, provided an overview of the session’s logistics. This year’s baccalaureate exams are being held at two centres: Dano and Dissihn.
The Dano centre comprises three juries — two hosted at the provincial high school and one at a private vocational high school. Dissihn accommodates two additional juries.
Mr. Kima highlighted a notable decrease in the number of candidates compared to the previous year.
“The number of candidates is down this year. In 2024, we had six juries. However, this session, we only have five,” he explained, suggesting that enrolment figures have seen a dip.
Despite the reduction, the 2025 session has so far unfolded without incident. “Everything has started well for the five juries in Ioba province,” Mr. Kima affirmed, expressing confidence in a smooth and successful examination period for all students involved.
As the baccalaureate progresses, families, educators, and local officials remain hopeful that this cohort will uphold the province’s tradition of academic achievement.
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