Burundi’s Education

The Principal Language of Instruction is French. Burundi has only one mother tongue, Kirundi. Studies in English, as a second language, start in primary school. Kiswahili is taught in primary public schools.

Primary education is compulsory, and the net matriculation rate for primary schools is around 97%. Since 2005 primary school fees have been free of charge to all Burundian nationals.

Primary education lasts for six years. On completion of standard six, students must sit for a national test to obtain a Primary School Leaving Certificate and to continue to secondary school in the public system. Those with higher percentage test results continue to public high schools while those with low percentages attend communal colleges.

Somewhere between 30% and 60% of children will complete lower secondary studies, and somewhere between 5% and 30% will complete upper secondary. Entry into the secondary school system is mediated by a system of national exams. Students are placed into specialized tracks based on examinations taken at the end of primary and lower secondary studies. Both public and private schools charge tuition at the secondary level. This limits access to low-income students.

One National University and around a half-dozen Private Universities provide traditional tertiary studies to around 5% of tertiary aged students each year. The University of Burundi is largely financed by the State and enjoys administrative and management autonomy. It is administered by a Rector appointed by the President of the Republic for four years. Policy-making is the responsibility of a Governing Board appointed by the President of the Republic and representing the major sphere of activity concerning higher education development.