As 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.

private education, transition from school to work, youth employment, employment inequality, sub-Saharan Africa, Burkina Faso