(Ecofin Agency) - The Government of Burkina Faso has announced an investment of about 1.9 billion CFA Francs to provide 10,013 undergraduate students with laptops, as part of the “one student, one computer” program initiated by the President.

The equipment will be provided by the French company Horizon Informatique SA which sells ICT tools. Through the “one student, one computer” program, the Burkinabe government wants to modernize the learning environment for students and improve the use of ICT in teaching to facilitate studies and research. That is a way of broadening access to higher education, reducing training costs, improving the quality of teaching and reducing the negative effects of overcrowded classrooms. Students, with their computers, will have the opportunity to continue their studies other than by attending physical classes.

In total, Burkina Faso seeks to acquire nearly 50,000 computers. 40% of the money needed will come from the Support Project for Higher Education, according Alkassoum Maiga, the higher education minister. Also, about 3 billion CFA francs is already mobilized to improve Internet access in public universities, still as part of the project.