MUYINGA May 24th (ABP) – Burundi celebrated International Mother Language Day on Saturday, May 21 in Muyinga (northeast of Burundi). Students and educators had responded to the appointment. Professor Ferdinand Mberamihigo of the University of Burundi deplored the neglect of Kirundi by certain public institutions.
For him, many of these institutions such as communal offices, schools, hospitals, and others give indications in French, whereas these indications are generally intended for Burundians. He suggests always putting the equivalent in Kirundi next to the indications in French. He finds it surprising that even in the public secretariat the cost of entering a text in the Kirundi language is high compared to that of the text in French, which proves according to that Academic that Kirundi is in one way or another neglected.
As for the head of the Rundi Academy, Professor Clément Bigirimana, who had represented the Minister of National Education and Scientific Research, it is an advantage for Burundi to have a single language, Kirundi, which brings together all Burundian.
The Kirundi Academy is about to set up the Kirundi dictionary and is conducting research to enrich that language.
Note that the world celebrates International Mother Language Day on February 21 each year.