BUJUMBURA August 31st (ABP) – The director of the secondary technical school (ETS) of Kamenge, Mr. Jean Bosco Nzitonda, revealed to a check by ABP on Tuesday August 29, 2023, that preparations for the next school year in that institution are proceeding normally. This is when the school calendar shows that the start of the 2023/2024 school year is scheduled for September 11, 2023.
Mr. Nzitonda said preparations began with the repair of some basic necessities at this school such as beds, doors, toilets, school benches as well as blackboards.
He also affirmed the existence of food for the first month. Despite the huge rise in food prices observed in the country, Mr. Nzitonda hopes that this situation will end so that learners can be fed without too much difficulty.
However, he mentioned the shortage of staff at this school caused by the departure for retirement of certain employees, including 12 teachers, seven supervisors and five watchmen. He informed the check by ABP that he has made the request to those concerned and hopes that the start of the school year will begin with their replacement.
At the Ngagara High School of Excellence, preparations for the 2023/2024 school year are also well underway. According to boarding director Eric Nyandwi, that high school plans to accommodate an enrollment equivalent to 469 pupils including 109 girls and 275 boys. As at ETS Kamenge, the Ngagara high school of excellence is preparing by repairing certain objects and hygiene.
Mr. Nyandwi also highlighted that this high school has fields where they grow corn, vegetables and bananas. These crops supplement subsidies from the State to feed the pupils. In that way, he announced that at the high school of excellence, all pupils ought to be boarders to facilitate supervision. He pointed out that those learners have better results in State exams before emphasizing that the first pupil for the national competition, 2022/2023 edition, comes from that school with 97.7%.
He took the opportunity to point out the problem of lack of mattresses and dormitories for girls. He explained that since its inception in 1955, that high school was intended for boys. Mr. Nyandwi hopes for a favorable response to the request addressed to the Burundi Housing Authority (OBUHA), to deal with the said housing problem.