GITEGA October 20th (ABP) – The Minister of National Education and Scientific Research, Dr François Havyarimana, during the ceremonies of the 27th birthday of the teacher which was celebrated on Saturday October 16 in Gitega (central Burundi), called on teachers to work diligently and selflessly to provide quality education.
He launched this appeal in the presence of some parliamentarians, some administrative authorities, representatives of the Coalition of Teachers’ Unions for National Solidarity (COSESONA) and representatives of education partners.
In his speech, the representative of COSESONA, Mr. Victor Ndabaniwe, recalled that this day, usually celebrated on October 5 of each year, aims to assess the performance of the education sector to strengthen the successes recorded and find solutions to the challenges that hinder the proper functioning of this sector, which plays a crucial role in the development of the country. He thanked the government of Burundi for the initiatives taken to improve the working conditions of teaching staff, in particular the process of social dialogue in favor of the establishment of the policy of harmonization of salaries. He wished the positive evolution of this process so that the harmonization of salaries becomes a reality. Regarding the quality of the teacher, he raised so many challenges that deserve to be overcome to achieve this objective, in particular the insufficiency of teaching materials and qualified personnel observed in many schools, as well as the incompetence. of some school principals. In the health sector, the representative of COSESONA deplored the quality of the services provided by the Public Service Mutual (MFP) and called for teachers’ representatives are involved in the decision-making bodies of the MFP. Mr. Ndabaniwe, who appreciated the initiatives taken by the government on the subject of increasing pensions for civil service retirees, recommended the establishment of implementing texts and the organization of the general staff of the civil service sector. education to analyze the solutions to the various concerns of that sector.
For his part, Minister Havyarimana recalled the key role of the teacher given his mission to train the intellectual elite of the different sectors of national life. He congratulated the teachers who practice their profession with dedication and called on them to work effectively to restore the quality of teaching. Mr. Havyarimana warned some teachers who tarnish the image of their mission by inciting students into sexual vagrancy and giving them points arbitrarily. He also urged students to pay due attention to studies and get good points. He also warned anyone who will be caught in cheating of any kind, specifying that they will have to suffer the punishments provided for by law. Regarding the grievances expressed by the teachers, the Minister in charge of Education indicated that they will find answers as they go along, during the social dialogue sessions and the general states on education planned soon. Regarding the capacity building of teachers, Dr Havyarimana said that there are plans to continue training sessions for teachers in need. It is in this context that the ministry is planning, for this school year 2021-2022, training sessions for 30,000 teachers. He invited the authorized officials to draw up their lists, in accordance with the required criteria.
As an encouragement to successful teachers, the Minister of Education awarded certificates of honor to six teachers who stood out in the success of the 9th year competitions of the Basic Schools (ECOFO) and the examination of State of end of post-basic schools. At the level of ECOFOs, those are four grade 9 teachers, namely Estella Bihorubusa who had a 100% success rate in the entrepreneurship course at ECOFO Jimbi of the Communal Directorate of Education ( DCE) of Gitega, Gérard Bizabigomba who teaches mathematics at ECOFO Gatoba of DCE Makebuko, Emmanuel Bizimana who teaches human sciences in one of the ECOFOs of DCE Ryansoro and Frédéric Manirakiza who teaches science and technology at ECOFO Bubaji from DCE Buraza. For the state examination at the end of post-fundamental schools, two teachers were awarded, namely Patricie Simbabawe who recorded a success rate of 100% in the French course she teaches at Our Lady of Assumption High School in the DCE Bugendana and Félix Ninganza, Biology teacher at the municipal high school of Bukirasazi in the DCE Bukirasazi.