Privatization of Education and Labor Force Inequality in Urban Francophone Africa: The Transition from School to Work in Ouagadougou

SummaryAs in many other francophone African countries, there has been increased privatization of the school system in Burkina Faso since the 1990s, especially in urban areas. Based on a unique retrospective survey conducted in Ouagadougou, this research investigates a largely unexplored issue in Africa: the impact of private schooling on subsequent transition to paid employment. While private schooling accelerates entry into the paid labor market and increases the odds of getting a waged first job, multivariate analyses reveal that this advantage is caused by differentials in the educational attainment and socio-economic origin of school-leavers from private and public schools.