A Discussion with Paulin Bayala, Reading Room Specialist, CERCLE, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
With: Paulin Bayala Berkley Center Profile
July 21, 2014
Background: In July 2014, as part of the Education
and Social Justice Project, undergraduate student Hopey Fink interviewed Paulin
Bayala, reading room specialist at the Center of Studies and Reflection for Students (le Centre d’Etude et de Réflexion pour Collégiens, Lycéens et Etudiants, CERCLE), a Jesuit-run study center in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. In this interview, Bayala discusses the operation of the reading
room in relation to literacy, student interaction, and cultural activities.
What other documents do you have in the reading room?
We have encyclopedias, comic books, and religious books and documents. We have series like Afrique Education and the Women’s Encyclopedia. We have from one to 15 copies of each of these. The documents are sent here to the center.
Which documents are most often requested?
The newspapers are most popular. After that it is Young Africa, a culture and current events magazine.
Do you know when the room was created?
The room was always a part of the center, but it was not always used like it is now. The reading room, with all of these documents, was put into place in 2012. Before that it was just a study room.
What are its hours of operation?
Now it is open from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. At around 6:00 p.m. I leave, and there are other volunteers who staff the reading room until it closes. There are a lot of people in the evenings.
Is there a certain age group that uses this room more than others?
The majority are younger students, since we have comic books. But it is not just them—we also have university students and professional workers who come to read the newspapers. There is something for everyone.
How is the service of the reading room important to the mission of CERCLE?
It is important since we implemented the reading room, we have had more students come. It has especially attracted middle school students. Before we put the service in place, we made a little survey to collect opinions, to develop the center, to see how we could help. This was last year—lots of people participated. Each wrote which document he or she wanted.
What are your interactions like with the students? Do you have personal relationships?
We become friends! There is friendship among all of us. There are some who come every day, and there are some who come less frequently because of courses. There are not the same numbers during vacation, like now. In September, the school year will start. We will close for a few days just before, to prepare the reading room.
What is involved in this preparation? Do you take stock of old documents and obtain new ones?
Well, we do not throw anything out. People come for research, and they often want to look at old newspapers. In a case we keep papers that date back to 1989, so if someone requests to look in the archives, we show them that.
In your experience and observation, how would you describe the state of education in Burkina?
I think that the system of education in Burkina Faso is no longer like it was. There is not as much focus on reading. There are many who fail in the European system that is in place here. I believe it is necessary to reexamine education in Burkina, in general, at its base. There is no structure really to help students, for example in finding documents. A lot is also due to poverty. Many families live in poverty, and schooling and supplies are expensive.
How do you think CERCLE works to combat these problems? Specifically, what do you think the reading room does?
Not everyone can afford to buy a newspaper each day. This room benefits students who would not otherwise be exposed to current events and their culture in general.
Do you also have cultural activities here? On the website it says there is a cinema club.
This year we do not actually have those clubs. Father Augustin [Some, S.J.] has been focused on figuring out how best to serve people’s needs at the center. We are talking with the students, and perhaps next year we will have more clubs than this year. Many seem interested in cinema. We also had a theater club. I would also love to have a literature club, since many students want that. Many kids want to be involved in these things, but we do not offer them currently at CERCLE.
I know you do have technology classes, and the world seems to be moving in the direction of information technology. How is the reading room adapting to this world?
It is true that with computers, there is no longer as much need to buy books. But those who live here, they often do not have the means to buy computers, or even access them. We often even have connectivity problems here at CERCLE. So we still need books, and I think we will for a while.
What are your aspirations for the future of the center, and for your own future?
I aspire for the betterment of this center. I think that this center, it is something big. It is given me a lot. School is very expensive here, but with a registration fee of 7000 CFA, you can access all of the resources of CERCLE. It helps a lot. I want to give to others.
Here, I know people, and I learn a lot from them. One must have the will to help others in order to help the center develop. The key is friendship! My vocation is working with children.
What is your biggest challenge in your work here?
Students often do not follow the rules, like the rule about no telephones in the reading room. Even if it is my friend, I have to discipline.
What is the role of faith in your vocation?
I live in a Christian community. For me, God is unique. I think if everyone followed him, we would not have these tragedies that we see in the world today. My mother is Muslim—I chose to become Christian at age 21. There is no opposition there.
We have encyclopedias, comic books, and religious books and documents. We have series like Afrique Education and the Women’s Encyclopedia. We have from one to 15 copies of each of these. The documents are sent here to the center.
Which documents are most often requested?
The newspapers are most popular. After that it is Young Africa, a culture and current events magazine.
Do you know when the room was created?
The room was always a part of the center, but it was not always used like it is now. The reading room, with all of these documents, was put into place in 2012. Before that it was just a study room.
What are its hours of operation?
Now it is open from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. At around 6:00 p.m. I leave, and there are other volunteers who staff the reading room until it closes. There are a lot of people in the evenings.
Is there a certain age group that uses this room more than others?
The majority are younger students, since we have comic books. But it is not just them—we also have university students and professional workers who come to read the newspapers. There is something for everyone.
How is the service of the reading room important to the mission of CERCLE?
It is important since we implemented the reading room, we have had more students come. It has especially attracted middle school students. Before we put the service in place, we made a little survey to collect opinions, to develop the center, to see how we could help. This was last year—lots of people participated. Each wrote which document he or she wanted.
What are your interactions like with the students? Do you have personal relationships?
We become friends! There is friendship among all of us. There are some who come every day, and there are some who come less frequently because of courses. There are not the same numbers during vacation, like now. In September, the school year will start. We will close for a few days just before, to prepare the reading room.
What is involved in this preparation? Do you take stock of old documents and obtain new ones?
Well, we do not throw anything out. People come for research, and they often want to look at old newspapers. In a case we keep papers that date back to 1989, so if someone requests to look in the archives, we show them that.
In your experience and observation, how would you describe the state of education in Burkina?
I think that the system of education in Burkina Faso is no longer like it was. There is not as much focus on reading. There are many who fail in the European system that is in place here. I believe it is necessary to reexamine education in Burkina, in general, at its base. There is no structure really to help students, for example in finding documents. A lot is also due to poverty. Many families live in poverty, and schooling and supplies are expensive.
How do you think CERCLE works to combat these problems? Specifically, what do you think the reading room does?
Not everyone can afford to buy a newspaper each day. This room benefits students who would not otherwise be exposed to current events and their culture in general.
Do you also have cultural activities here? On the website it says there is a cinema club.
This year we do not actually have those clubs. Father Augustin [Some, S.J.] has been focused on figuring out how best to serve people’s needs at the center. We are talking with the students, and perhaps next year we will have more clubs than this year. Many seem interested in cinema. We also had a theater club. I would also love to have a literature club, since many students want that. Many kids want to be involved in these things, but we do not offer them currently at CERCLE.
I know you do have technology classes, and the world seems to be moving in the direction of information technology. How is the reading room adapting to this world?
It is true that with computers, there is no longer as much need to buy books. But those who live here, they often do not have the means to buy computers, or even access them. We often even have connectivity problems here at CERCLE. So we still need books, and I think we will for a while.
What are your aspirations for the future of the center, and for your own future?
I aspire for the betterment of this center. I think that this center, it is something big. It is given me a lot. School is very expensive here, but with a registration fee of 7000 CFA, you can access all of the resources of CERCLE. It helps a lot. I want to give to others.
Here, I know people, and I learn a lot from them. One must have the will to help others in order to help the center develop. The key is friendship! My vocation is working with children.
What is your biggest challenge in your work here?
Students often do not follow the rules, like the rule about no telephones in the reading room. Even if it is my friend, I have to discipline.
What is the role of faith in your vocation?
I live in a Christian community. For me, God is unique. I think if everyone followed him, we would not have these tragedies that we see in the world today. My mother is Muslim—I chose to become Christian at age 21. There is no opposition there.
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