Thousands protest over university closing in Burkina Faso

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (Reuters) -- Several thousand people protested in Burkina Faso's capital on Tuesday against the closure of the main university and scrapping of the 1999-2000 year, witnesses said.

Opposition groups, teachers' unions and student associations took to the streets after rejecting the government's planned reorganization of the university in Ouagadougou.

The university was shut down in early October after months of student protests about grants prevented the completion of the academic year which the government then scrapped.

They threatened to stage more demonstrations if the government goes ahead with the reorganization, which they say would exclude a large number of students.

In a previous protest, police used tear gas to disperse the demonstrators and detained around 30 students.

Unrest in the education sector was one of the factors behind the resignation of prime minister Kadre Desire Ouedraogo and his cabinet on November 7.

The new government of Paramanga Ernest Yonli, which includes more opposition members, has pledged to reopen the university on December 1.

The university has more than 10,000 students.

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