In Makamba province, in southern Burundi, schools are struggling to operate normally due to a serious deficit in teaching materials, particularly books, and an alarming shortage of teachers. This situation seriously compromises the quality of education, pupils and teachers deplore. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

A glaring lack of school books is observed in all schools in Makamba province.

Learners testify to the difficulties encountered on a daily basis : « More than ten pupils share a single book or have practically no access to any, » some of them confide. This problem is particularly acute in fifth-grade classes, where a new curriculum has been introduced. In some cases, up to three schools must share a single copy of the required textbook, which considerably slows down the progress of the school curriculum.

Faced with this situation, teachers report that « the peculiarity is observable in the 5th grade class where they are adopting a new program. Three or more schools share a single book which will slow down the completion of the programs ».

A worrying deficit of teachers

In addition to the lack of materials, the province has a shortage of more than 700 teachers for the current school year. This insufficiency is aggravated by the departure of several teachers abroad, in search of better economic opportunities. « We could no longer support our families with the meager salaries we received », explains one of them.

Calls for action

Teachers’ unions in Makamba province have sounded the alarm, urging provincial authorities to intervene urgently to resolve these problems. They are calling in particular for the acquisition of new teaching materials and the recruitment of teachers in order to guarantee quality education.

Makamba Governor Tantine Ncutinamagara says she is aware of the seriousness of the situation.

« We are already in contact with partners to gradually find solutions to these challenges, » she says.

A critical situation in the middle of the school year

As the first quarter of the school year draws to a close, the crisis in the education sector in Makamba remains a major source of concern. If urgent measures are not taken, the quality of education in this region risks continuing to deteriorate, with serious consequences for future generations.