Musasa : impoverished parents, teachers on the run… a school year under high anxiety

SOS Médias Burundi

Musasa, August 31, 2026 — Just days before the start of the school year, scheduled for September 7, anxiety is growing among families in the Musasa refugee camp in Butanyerera province, northern Burundi. Many parents say they are experiencing great difficulty obtaining the necessary school supplies for their children, in a context marked by reduced humanitarian aid and a rising cost of living.

In previous years, refugee pupils benefited from school kits provided as part of humanitarian assistance, notably by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), through its education partner, the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS).

However, this aid has not always been distributed on time. Over the past two school years, the distribution of school kits has been delayed, particularly due to funding difficulties.

As the new school year approaches, parents fear the situation will repeat. Many have very limited incomes and are already struggling to provide for their families’ basic needs.

“We have to choose between feeding our children and buying their school supplies.”

For large families, the situation is especially worrying. Oumar, a parent living in the camp, has to send his six children to school and explains that buying supplies is a heavy burden.

“I have six children who have to go to school. Just to buy them notebooks, pens, and other supplies, it takes a lot of money. But lately, our biggest challenge is finding enough food for the whole family,” he says.

According to him, the reduction in some humanitarian aid has further weakened households.

“When food becomes difficult to obtain and prices rise at the market, it becomes very difficult to think about school supplies. We want our children to study, but we need help to be able to afford to go to school,” he adds.

The rise in prices at local markets is thus increasing the pressure on families already facing limited resources.

Teachers leave the camp

Beyond school supplies, parents mention another difficulty that marked the 2025-2026 school year : the departure of several Burundian teachers working in the camp.

According to parents contacted by SOS Médias Burundi, several teachers reportedly left their posts during the school year, notably due to insufficient salaries. These departures reportedly led to periods of interrupted classes for some pupils.

Bernard, another parent, believes that this situation is a source of concern as the new school year approaches.

“We saw our children go without classes for periods last year because teachers had left their jobs. We’re afraid the same thing will happen again this year. Our children already face many difficulties. If they can’t attend classes regularly, their future becomes even more uncertain,” he laments.

For families, the priority is therefore twofold : ensuring their children start the year with necessary supplies and guaranteeing a regular teacher presence throughout the school year.

Funding for aid remains uncertain

The UNHCR reports that it has not yet found a donor to fund this assistance for refugee pupils.

This uncertainty comes at a time when humanitarian aid for refugees in Burundi is experiencing significant funding challenges, affecting several essential sectors.

The Musasa camp hosts more than 9,000 refugees. For the families living there, access to education remains a primary concern, along with food and other basic needs.

As September 7th approaches, parents are now hoping that solutions will be found to prevent their children from starting the new school year without sufficient supplies and, above all, without an adequate number of teachers.