BUJUMBURA, December 6th (ABP) – Under the patronage of the First Lady of the Republic of Burundi, Mrs. Angeline Ndayishimiye, the Ministry of National Education and Scientific Research, in collaboration with development partners, is organizing a national forum on girls’ and women’s education in Bujumbura from 3 to 5 December 2024, as part of the official launch of the continental campaign “Africa educates its girls”.
The theme chosen for Burundi is ‘Promoting girls’ and women’s education: a strategy to ensure equitable and inclusive access throughout life’.
On that occasion, Mrs. Ndayishimiye pointed out that girls must go to school like boys in order to prepare for a better future, recalling that in the past girls did not attend school at the same level or in the same sections. She thanked the government of Burundi for setting up the institution of First Lady in charge of development, which shows that women are of great importance in the country.
Returning to the importance of educating young girls, the First Lady of the Republic pointed out that if a girl has attended school, she can go and work abroad to contribute to the development of her country and the whole of Africa.
However, she pointed out that some women are still discriminated against in certain families because of their religious beliefs. She therefore asked those families to give them the freedom they need to feel at ease in society.
She asked the parties involved to work hard for the development of women.
She thanked the Chinese Embassy in Burundi for granting scholarships to Burundian girls to improve their intellectual capacity.
The Minister of National Education and Scientific Research, François Havyarimana, said that that forum was a good opportunity to exchange ideas on the education of girls and women in Burundi. He pointed out that studying is the right of every Burundian citizen. According to him, Burundi has put the education of girls and women first, because education is the basis of the country’s development.
However, he did not forget to point out that girls are discriminated against, which prevents them from studying properly, which is why the Ministry has introduced measures to encourage them not to drop out of school. Those measures include the return to school of girls who have given birth while on the school bench, and raising girls’ awareness so that they attend science courses. That awareness-raising is necessary, according to Minister Havyarimana, because more than a third of girls and women underestimate themselves, thinking that they are less intelligent than boys. Another measure taken, according to Mr. Havyarimana, concerns the merging of two classes for the 2023-2024 academic year, in order to prevent girls from staying at home for long periods at the risk of marrying early. He also urged them to avoid bad companions who would prevent them from continuing their studies.
He thanked the First Lady of the Republic of Burundi for her contribution to promoting education for girls and women.
In her presentation, the person in charge of quality assurance at the University of Burundi, Michelle Mukeshimana, highlighted the real obstacles that prevent girls from attending school, some of which are linked to their nature (weakness, reproduction, self-esteem), lack of references, early marriage, and so on.