Save our School: 230 Burundian Pupils Need a Roof

The end of the school year is near, but the the Murakaza school will remain open throughout the summer. This is to avoid leaving the children at home on in the streets. The academic programme is lightened with more extra curricular activities such as sports, games, singing and crafts.

As the Murakaza School is located in a slum on the outskirts of Bujumbura, the intake is from very poor families who cannot afford the public school, which, although technically free, have to pay for uniforms, books and fees for school upkeep. As attendance at Murakaza School is free, this helps parents to see the benefits of schooling, so when their children are ready to integrate into public schools, they are prepared to make the sacrifices to give their children an education. After the summer, a number of students will integrate the national school system. 

Thirteen year-old Rodrigue who now attends Kinama secondary school, describes the effect the school had on him “I learned French, Kirundi and maths from scratch, then I could go to public school. I am the first in my class and I have good marks in every subject. The school really helped me and now I know that if I focus and work hard I will have good results. I am very proud to be the first Murakaza child to go to secondary school”.

Eleven year old Patrick, who attends Buyenzi primary school: “I stayed two years at the school and it helps me a lot as we study the same subjects here at public school. We are ten children at home. My father sells wooden cupboards and my mother produces vegetables. We are really poor and we do not eat everyday but our parents insist that we go to school. So all my brothers, sisters and I (except the little ones) go to public school. I want to continue school and later I would like to be a doctor to help my community.”

Girls are encouraged to attend the school, which helps to reverse the trend where only boys are considered worth educating.

Fifteen year old Alice Irankunda says: I studied two years at the school, I then went to public school but had to quit and came back here to study one more year. I learned French, Kirundi and counting. This helped me when I had to go back to public school. I try to have good marks but it is not always easy. I am good at geography and French but I have problems with mathematics. Later, I would like to be a jurist because I love changing things.”