GITEGA, December 19th (ABP) – The Prime Minister’s Office organized a meeting on Thursday, December 18, 2025, at the Gitega Paramedical School (the political capital and center of Burundi) for stakeholders in the education sector. The meeting focused on the revalorization of state-owned old forests to address the shortage of school desks and bolster the national economy, a check the site by ABP has revealed.
The meeting was attended by the Minister of Environment, Agriculture, and Livestock; a representative of the Minister of Education; all provincial governors; all communal administrators; and education officials from across the country.
Minister of Finance Alain Ndikumana, representing the Prime Minister at the meeting, stated that according to a conducted survey, 18 billion BIF are required to fully resolve the school desk deficit in all schools nationwide. He also noted that by valorizing these trees, the State expects to generate 188 billion FBu from the sale of old timber, while ensuring environmental protection.
Minister Ndikumana highlighted that this project is considered a top priority, as the Government of Burundi aims to resolve the desk shortage in less than six months. Based on this objective, he urged participants to manage the project with caution and responsibility to avoid any abuse or waste, declaring that no tolerance will be granted to those who compromise it.
The Minister did note that the ecological sector must be preserved, indicating that every tree felled will be replaced by two or more new eucalyptus seedlings. According to him, this project requires government-wide synergy.
He also announced that each Communal Education Directorate will soon receive 100 million BIF, of which 50 million BIF will be directly allocated to manufacturing desks. The remaining funds will be used for tree felling, sawing, and manufacturing desks using timber sourced from national forests across a 2-hectare area.
“Each commune must exploit 6 hectares of woodland: 2 hectares for desk production, 2 hectares for public auction, and 2 hectares for sawing planks and beams for sale. This is to determine which type of sale generates the most revenue. The proceeds from these 4 hectares must be deposited into State coffers,” explained Minister Ndikumana. He concluded by stating that the Burundian government insists on clear, measurable, and verifiable commitments in the implementation of this project.
The Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, Jean Claude Barutwanayo, pointed out that quality education is a national priority for sustainable development. Consequently, the government decided to valorize old forests by organizing the local production of desks for two hectares per commune. He added that communes would identify mature trees for exploitation and that communal foresters would supervise felling activities in a planned manner, following environmental standards with compensatory reforestation. Mr. Barutwanayo specified that at the national level, the need for desks amounts to 331,956 units, averaging 80,852 desks per commune.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Environment, Calinie Mbarushimana, called on those implementing the project to do so correctly, warning that any poor execution would result in consequences for those responsible. She also emphasized the need for synergy, suspecting that some might be tempted to act in isolation or fraudulently.
Mrs. Mbarushimana finally urged authorities to ensure transparency at all levels, particularly regarding the price of desks, stressing that a desk does not necessarily have to cost 80,000 BIF if it can be produced at a lower cost.