L’enseignement de la culture arabe et islamique dans le département de Soaw, province de Bulkiemde, Burkina Faso

• Main Author: Adama Ouedraogo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Université de Provence 2008-11-01
• Series: Revue des Mondes Musulmans et de la Méditerranée
• Online Access: http://journals.openedition.org/remmm/6040

Arab and Islamic culture is made available to students in several venues. In the Soaw district, there are, on the one hand, the Coranic school which was introduced back in the 16th century by Yarse Muslims, and, on the other hand, the medersa which was founded as late as 2001. Both systems teach Arab and Islamic culture. The difference between the two, however, is that the objective of the former is not to teach Arabic, but to transmit religious knowledge; it does not help learners to find jobs after the completion of their studies. The medersa, on the other hand, teaches how to read and write Arabic with a view to engage in a professional activity. In other words, the Coranic school teaches only religion, and Arabic is translated into and explained in the vernacular teaching language. The medersa teaches religion, Arabic, French and a number of scientific disciplines, which are explained either in Arabic or in French.