| Written by Melissa Giles |
– Evariste Havyarimana, Headmaster
Rural communities in Burundi are well overdue for some serious education upgrades. Normally, when we think of education resources, we imagine fully equipped classrooms, smiling teachers, and freshly sharpened #2 pencils. Creating a dynamic educational environment requires all those things, and so much more! For example, did you know that hygiene clubs, solar lamps, and clean water can make a world of difference to a child's education? Here are some of the exciting ways that education has recently taken a turn for the better for students in Kayanza, Burundi.
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ACCESS TO EDUCATION
In Burundi, it’s mandatory that students wear a uniform and
have the required supplies. In Kayanza, there are also school fees: 8,000
Burundian Franks (BIF) ($5 CAD) for primary school and 25,293 BIF ($15 CAD) for
secondary. Thanks to the generosity of donors, FH was able to cover the cost of a uniform, supplies, and tuition for some
families in the community whose children would otherwise fall behind at school
as their parents work with FH on income-generating and savings practices. This
year, 973 children received supplies and 923 students received new uniforms, and almost 200 received help with tuition!
FACILITY UPGRADES
Children in the Musema and Shembati communities are no
longer crammed four or five to a desk. Classrooms at both schools have been
resourced with desks, chairs and blackboards to make the students’ and
teachers’ time in the classroom more efficient. In addition to the new furniture, the community education office have received a much-anticipated computer.
Previously, teachers or administrators had to travel 40 kilometres to use a
computer for their reporting!
We also tend to take it for granted that when we flip a switch, a light comes on. But this isn't the case the whole world over! Not all families in the area of Kayanza have access to electricity or lamps. So, since February, four Kayanza primary schools have been using
solar panels to catch the sun’s rays to power electric lights so that students
can continue studying after it becomes too dark at home. About 800 students trek back to school in the evenings to take advantage
of the lit classrooms to continue working on their lessons.
TEACHER TRAINING
Through monthly meetings and one-day trainings with FH staff, teachers are
getting the support they need to help their students succeed. Recently, 90
teachers met to discuss the reasons children drop out of school or repeat
grades, and were able to learn new retention strategies. From January
to June, remedial classes were offered for grade five and six students
struggling in school to help prepare them for national exams. Parents got
behind the initiative and encouraged their children to attend; 575 students
participated! Seventy per cent of the students involved have been able to
improve their results so far.
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
The area’s five primary schools have a wide variety of clubs
for the students—everything from livestock care to sports clubs to fine arts.
FH staff work with the kids to develop leadership qualities and skills while
helping them become more involved in their community’s development. For
example, members of a hygiene club at one school have helped keep their
environment clean by creating and maintaining a compost pit for all their
decomposable litter. They’ve even planted squash around the pit to make the most
of all the nutrients from the compost!
If you are passionate about seeing access to quality education expand globally, visit our website to find out how you can get involved!
