Burundi : despite a colossal budget, schools struggle to equip pupils with desks

SOS Médias Burundi

Bujumbura, March 16, 2026 – Several primary schools across the small east African nation are facing a critical shortage of desks, forcing some pupils to attend classes sitting on the floor. This situation persists despite the government’s announcement of a budget of 18 billion Burundi francs to resolve the problem before the start of the 2025-2026 school year.

Needs far exceed available resources

In the district of Muramvya, in Gitega province in the center of the country, schools need approximately 3,000 desks for the current school year. But according to the district education authority, the available budget will only allow for the production of 550 desks, a quantity far below the needs.

This shortage forces pupils to share seats. In several classrooms, four to six pupils sit on a bench designed for two, which negatively impacts learning conditions.

A similar situation exists in other districts.

In the district of Gitega, the estimated need is for 15,000 desks, while the allocated budget will only allow for the production of 660, according to a school official who requested anonymity.

The same situation is observed in the district of Kiganda, also in Gitega province, where 3,750 desks are needed, but only 400 can be manufactured.

Pupils sometimes sitting on the floor

In Butanyerera province, in the north of the small east African nation, the overall need is estimated at 65,777 desks, including 7,837 for the Kayanza school district, according to an official from the provincial education directorate.

The president of the National Council of Secondary School Staff (CONAPES), one of the teachers’ unions, warns that in some schools, pupils are attending classes sitting on the floor, despite the government’s commitment to combat the phenomenon of “children sitting improperly in class.”

Parents’ anger and experts’ concern

Parents are denouncing poor learning conditions and are calling on education authorities to quickly find a solution so that the “Zero Improperly Seated Children in Class” campaign becomes a reality.

Education experts believe that the lack of desks affects the physical and mental health of pupils, while also compromising their academic performance.

A persistent question

At the start of the 2025-2026 school year, Education Minister François Havyarimana announced that all schools would have a sufficient number of desks and benches in good condition.

Faced with the current situation, parents and teachers are asking : where did the 18 billion Burundi francs allocated for the manufacture of these desks and benches go?

Without swift action from the authorities, the problem of children sitting improperly in class will continue to jeopardize the education and future of thousands of pupils across this small east African nation.