In Sassandra, Côte d'Ivoire, numerous students face a daily challenge of traveling long distances to attend secondary school. This situation arises from the absence of nearby educational institutions in surrounding villages. According to a recent survey, students from Siapao village, about six kilometers from Sassandra, are often seen walking along the road to school. Nafissatou Kaboré, a Terminal A2-2 student at the private MUFAS college, has been making this journey for over five years.
The commute can be hazardous, with students exposed to heavy truck traffic, motorcyclists, extreme heat, and rain, all while trying to arrive on time for class. Many students, including those from Siapao, rely on walking as their primary mode of transportation, occasionally using communal taxis that cost between 200 and 300 FCFA. The students attend both public and private schools in Sassandra and wish for a nearby college to be established in Siapao, which could potentially evolve into a high school.
Students from other areas, such as the Sassandra crossroads along the San Pedro and Abidjan axis, also travel to the city for school. To arrive on time for the first class, some students reduce their sleep time and resort to hitchhiking, often on motorcycles or private vehicles. An former student of the Goffry Kouassi Raymond modern high school, now studying in Abidjan, highlights the social difficulties faced by some young girls during their commute.
The former student reports that some students from her time experienced early pregnancies after relationships with young motorcycle or vehicle owners. She also notes that some students face food difficulties, making them vulnerable to sexual propositions from informal sector actors in exchange for financial or food assistance. These challenges emphasize the need for accessible educational institutions.
In the early hours of the next day, students from Léblego, Gnézego, Drewin, and Bassa villages, over a dozen kilometers from Sassandra, gather in front of the Gboklè regional council. Some arrive on foot, while others use overcrowded taxi-brousse or tricycles, and a few seek help from passersby to continue their journey to school. The return trip is equally challenging.
Students from Grihiri, the chief town of the Sassandra department's sub-prefecture, also encounter difficulties. Since the opening of the nearby college, BEPC candidates must travel to Sassandra to take the exam. Parents advocate for the establishment of a BEPC and baccalauréat annex center in Grihiri, 108 km from Sassandra, to reduce travel and accommodation expenses.
The daily commute issue affects not only students but also teachers. Many teachers assigned to Sassandra reside in surrounding villages and travel to work by motorcycle early in the morning, returning home after class. They cite the high cost of housing and food in the city as reasons for living outside Sassandra and suggest better regulation of housing prices to enable them to live closer to work.
Key points
- Students in Sassandra, Côte d'Ivoire, travel long distances daily due to a lack of nearby schools.
- The commute poses risks, including exposure to traffic, extreme weather, and social challenges.
- Students and teachers call for more accessible educational institutions and better living conditions.
