Burundi: Worrying departures of teachers in refugee camp schools

In Burundi, the situation of teachers in refugee camp schools has become increasingly difficult. Recently, a growing number of teachers have decided to drop their posts. Faced with insufficient pay and difficulties in relation to students, these educators have opted to leave their job, leaving behind students in search of knowledge.

INFO SOS Médias Burundi

Each teacher in the Congolese refugee camps in Burundi, receives a monthly salary of around 100,000 Burundian francs, a pay considered derisory by many educators, especially in a context where the prices of basic necessities continue to rise on the local market.

Another worrying aspect is the behavior of students. Many teachers testify that some students are rude and undisciplined, mostly because they feel protected by certain humanitarian organizations working in the camps. Right bodies often intervene on the side of students when sanctions are being considered for their unacceptable behavior. This creates a dynamic where teachers feel devalued and unable to exercise their authority.

Bonfils recently left his job. He testifies: “with this salary, I can’t even support my family. Food prices have tripled on the market, and with the reduction in food rations provided by the World Food Program (WFP), my salary is no longer enough. I can’t feed my family anymore”.

This feeling is shared by many other teachers who find that their salary does not even cover basic needs.
Added to this is the behavior of refugee children, deemed unacceptable by teachers who feel “powerless” in the face of this situation.

“Students know that they can act without fear of sanctions. This makes our work even more difficult and frustrating”, deplores Ahishakiye.

This climate of rudeness and disrespect not only harms teacher-student relationships, but also the school environment in general.

Ahishakiye says he decided to leave the education sector to become a telephone money transfer agent. “I can finally support my family without the constant stress I felt as a teacher.”

Parents are also worried about the situation. A mother from Kinama camp in northeastern Burundi expresses her despair: “The absence of teachers compromises not only the education of our children but also their future. We need stable education so that they can have a chance in life.”

Other parents share this sentiment, stressing that each teacher leaving leaves a void that is difficult to fill.

The schools in the Congolese refugee camps in Burundi have at least 316 Burundian refugee and temporary teachers, according to a recent UNHCR report. They are supported by this UN refugee agency.

——-

A teacher in a classroom in the Musasa camp in northern Burundi (SOS Media Burundi)