Burundi : public schools bled dry by mass teacher departure

SOS Médias Burundi

Bujumbura, February 25, 2026 – The education system of this small east African nation is experiencing an unprecedented crisis. Between August 2025 and January 2026, more than 1,800 secondary school teachers left their posts, according to figures revealed by the Minister of Education, François Havyarimana, during a media event dedicated to evaluating the 14 years of implementation of the basic education system.

Among these departures, nearly 700 teachers reportedly left the profession to seek better-paying jobs abroad, illustrating the deep unease within a teaching staff facing salary conditions deemed insufficient in the face of inflation and the soaring cost of living.

A brain drain

The situation is also worrying in higher education. Since 2020, 47 professors with doctorates have left the country or their university positions to work abroad or in other institutions, the minister stated.

This is a significant loss for Burundi, which has invested substantial resources in training these highly qualified professionals. “These are skills we are losing after having invested heavily in their training,” lamented François Havyarimana.

Insufficient salaries and a difficult economic context

The minister acknowledges that insufficient salaries are among the main causes of these departures. But he also cites an unfavorable global economic context. The Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and other international crises have weakened the national economy, leading to a rise in the prices of imported goods. In a context of local currency depreciation, many civil servants are struggling to maintain their purchasing power.

Education experts are denouncing this situation and calling for an urgent salary increase to stabilize teaching staff. François Havyarimana acknowledges the need for an adjustment but specifies that current financial resources do not allow for salary increases for a single profession. Any reform, within the framework of the policy to harmonize salary disparities in the civil service, should apply to all civil servants.

Replacements and measures announced

Regarding secondary education, the minister sought to reassure the public : departing teachers will be replaced. However, this task could prove more complex in universities, where specialized profiles remain scarce.

He also announced that teachers with special status, particularly those at the University of Burundi, should soon have their status regularized.

For the government, the sustainable solution lies in increasing domestic production to strengthen the state’s financial capacity. But for many teachers and experts, these measures remain insufficient in the face of the mass exodus and the weakening of an already struggling education system.