Education in Burundi

Burundi has made significant progress in increasing access to education. Enrollment in basic education is high, and preschool enrollment is growing.

However, persistent challenges remain with overall low learning levels and a high number of children repeating classes and dropping out of school. By the end of primary school, 72% of students lack minimum proficiency in reading and 40% in math, and there are significant rural-urban, public-private and gender disparities (PASEC 2019).

Burundi’s Partnership Compact marks the country’s commitment to deliver quality education to all children.

The government is working with GPE and other partners to improve the quality of learning by making education more equitable and inclusive. The reform focuses on teachers and aims to strengthen initial training and continuous professional development.

Efforts to improve the learning environment include ensuring school infrastructure complies with standards, opening a preschool classroom in every basic education school, expanding school feeding, and strengthening support to vulnerable children, including girls, children with disabilities and refugees.

Better management and use of resources, such as needs-based teacher recruitment and deployment, is expected to contribute to reducing inequalities in the education system.

As part of its investment in civil society advocacy and social accountability efforts, GPE’s Education Out Loud fund is supporting the Coalition Éducation Pour Tous Bafashebige (EPT BAFASHEBIGE) for the 2020-2023 period. This builds on previous support from the Civil Society Education Fund (CSEF).

Learn more

• Burundi is part of the KIX Africa 21 regional hub.
• KIX research projects:
  • Observatory on COVID-19 Responses in Educational Systems in Africa
  • The Forum of African Women Educationalists’ gender-sensitive school model as an innovative response to the challenge of gender equality