During the presentation of the achievements of eight ministries under his supervision in the National Assembly, the first vice president says Burundian students will no longer be allowed to go to study in some countries where more brilliant students are kept and considered for posts.
Gaston Sindimwo: “Burundian students applying for scholarships must be aware that they owe credit to the government”
Gaston Sindimwo, first deputy president says the government is aware of the brain drain which is notably observed in the Defense Ministry. “Several students did not return to serve their country while their studies or trainings were funded by the government. We are looking for appropriate mechanisms so that students who go abroad for further studies sign that they will pay back the debt”, says the first deputy president.
He also says the government has noticed that some scholarships granted by some countries and organizations can be given to students in the country. “Those who will go to study some specific courses abroad will go following the country’s needs “, he says. The first deputy president also says there are countries where Burundians will no more be authorized to go due to the problem of brain drain.
There are many examples in the Defense Ministry where students never returned. In France , there are 2 Army officers; Belgium, 29 students; USA, 8 students; Ethiopia, 4 students; Greece, one student; Canada, one student and Rwanda 2 students. “It is clear that we are going to take severe measures against them; otherwise, our specialists will end outside the country”, he says.
During this year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has received 134 scholarships: Russia (40), China (13), India (10) Cuba (3), Quebec (5) and South Korea (2).
For Révérien Ndikuriyo, the Senate Speaker, the government should assess and identify the number of scholarships that has been granted to Burundian nationals since 1962. “There are many students who finished their studies and worked in those host countries until they died there? It is a loss for the country”, he says.
He accuses some countries of granting scholarships with the main objective of stopping more intelligent students from coming back home and offering them job opportunities. “They grant the scholarships to the brilliant students who thereafter chose to work in those countries. It is surprising that 90% of Burundians are farmers and we do not make any hoe”, he says.
He urges the concerned ministries to work together to impose some restrictive measures to reduce the number of brain drain.
After the presentation of the achievements carried out in the eight ministries for the first semester 2017-that would be presented in the last June session, the first deputy president has marked their achievement results. The ministries of: Public Security has got 87%; Home Affairs, 81,73%; Good Governance, 80,2%; Justice, 79,52%; Labour, 73,77%; Foreign Affairs, 70%; Defense, 67,85% and EAC Affairs, 65,88%.
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