Refugee camps : when school becomes a daily challenge

SOS Médias Burundi

Cankuzo, September 17, 2025 — On Monday, September 15, refugee pupils living in Burundi’s refugee camps began the 2025-2026 school year. The start of the school year was marked by numerous challenges. In the Kavumu, Bwagiriza, and Kinama camps in the east of the country, school infrastructure is inadequate, with classrooms often made of planks and lacking desks. In Musasa, in the north of the country, teachers face overcrowded classes and very low salaries.

In Kavumu, some classrooms force pupils to attend classes on the floor or share a single desk with several other pupils. The lack of benches and basic materials exposes children to the elements and makes learning difficult.

Faustin, a father of three children at Kavumu primary school, is worried :
“Every year, it’s the same thing. Our children go to school, but under what conditions? We call on educational partners to intervene urgently to build and equip the schools properly.”

School supplies : a major obstacle

This year, Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), the NGO responsible for education in the camps, has not yet distributed notebooks. Parents must therefore purchase the bare necessities themselves, in a context of high inflation : a 200-page notebook sells for 5,000 Burundi francs and half a draft for 2,000 francs.

Musafiri, a refugee in Kavumu, says, “I had to take out a loan to buy notebooks for my five children. Last year, the notebooks were distributed only three months after opening. With the high cost of living, it’s a real challenge.” Everything has increased : rice, flour, soap, clothes… and now even notebooks!”

Teachers under pressure

In Musasa and other camps, teachers must manage overcrowded classes, sometimes with up to 60 pupils, with a monthly salary of 115,000 Burundi francs, often paid late. Many live in precarious conditions, despite their crucial role in educating the younger generations.

A teacher from Musasa camp, speaking on condition of anonymity, explains :
“We have an important mission : educating future generations. We deserve to be paid fairly and on time. The quality of education depends on it.”

An education system on the verge of collapse

The education system in the camps is still Congolese, although schools are preparing to migrate to the Burundian system in the coming years. For now, they follow only the Burundian school calendar : opening, closing, and official holidays.

Burundi hosts more than 100,000 refugees, the majority of whom are young people. Despite their eagerness to learn, the education system in the camps remains under pressure, with inadequate infrastructure, a lack of materials, and underpaid teachers.