Karurama: children suffocated by overcrowding

SOS Médias Burundi

Cibitoke, September 29, 2025 – At Karurama I and II basic schools, in Cibitoke district, Bujumbura province, western Burundi, learning conditions are becoming a nightmare. Overcrowded classrooms, a critical shortage of desks and teachers, and a lack of basic infrastructure : parents and teachers are sounding the alarm, fearing for the children’s future.

An overcrowded school

From the entrance, the scene is striking. Dozens of schoolchildren crammed together, some pressed against the walls, others sitting on the floor, are trying to follow the lesson. In some first-, second-, and third-grade classes, there are as many as 196 children for a single teacher. The teacher, stuck in the middle of the rows, struggles to move around.
“We’re doing our best, but it’s almost an impossible mission. We feel like we’ve been abandoned,” sighs a visibly exhausted teacher.

Exhausted pupils, outraged parents

Torn uniforms, damaged notebooks, aching backs… Daily life takes its toll.
“My son comes home exhausted every evening. How can he learn in these conditions?” exclaims an indignant parent outside the school. For many, the promise of a universal basic school seems far removed from reality.

An under-equipped school

With over 2,400 pupils in just 13 classrooms, Karurama I is operating well beyond its capacity. Principal Manassé Nsabiyaremye speaks of “immense needs” : desks, additional teachers, toilets, running water.
“We have the space to build multi-story buildings. What we lack are the resources,” he pleads, calling for help from benefactors and local residents.

A widespread problem

Local authorities recognize the seriousness of the situation.
“Overcrowding is a reality in several schools. A new organization of the education system is underway,” assures Jérémie Sibomana, the district education officer, who calls on teachers to be patient.

A compromised future

But on the ground, concern and frustration are growing. Pupils, parents, and teachers fear that the wait will permanently compromise learning. School, supposed to pave the way to a better future, risks instead becoming a symbol of failure and discouragement for an entire generation.

The Karurama case is not isolated. Similar cases have been reported in nearly all 42 districts of the small east African nation.