Gitega June 24th (ABP) – The president of the Senate of Burundi, Mr. Emmanuel Sinzohagera, met on Wednesday in his office based in Gitega with the representative of UNICEF in Burundi, Mr. John Egbe Agbor, to discuss the priority projects in the children’s sector. They discussed in particular the mechanisms for continuing partnership relations in the strengthening of awareness on the fight against pregnancies in schools, and on the project to extend the program of school canteens throughout the national territory, according to the spokesman of the Senate of Burundi, Mr. Gabby Bugaga, in his press briefing after the dialogue of the two persons in authority held behind closed doors.
Mr. Sinzohagera indicated that the Upper House of the Parliament had initiated in the previous legislature the sensitization on the fight against the pregnancies in school environment. The program was set up to respond to the concerns of the people regarding the issues of cases of pregnancies in schools. He said that this program requires support from partners in Burundi including UNICEF.
The UNICEF representative pledged to work together with Senate officials to try to see the mechanisms that can help fight against pregnancies in school.
The two persons in authority also discussed the state of play of the school canteen program.
The President of the Senate of Burundi commended the involvement of the Government of Burundi in the development of school canteens, stressing that currently in the general State budget, there is a substantial amount allocated to that activity. He hoped that UNICEF could contribute so that this program covers all schools of the country.