Delay in getting teaching materials in post-basic schools to affect learning

The basic education system is still faced with some challenges. Post-basic classes have not yet got teaching materials which are given per trimester. This may affect the whole year program and students’ learning in general.

Students during the break

Kelly Kaze, a student in the second year post-basic school, fears that this delay may affect the whole year’s program. “We haven’t yet got the school books for the second trimester. We are revising the lessons of the first trimester,” she says.

Kaze says she is afraid students will be faced with an overloaded program. “If they bring books late, teachers will be obliged to rush into completing the program and this will negatively affect our learning,” she says.

She asks the ministry to do its best so that they get those teaching materials as soon as possible.

Japhet Nyandwi, a teacher at Lycée Communal Rohero in the centre of Bujumbura, says they try to manage the situation by revising lessons taught in the first trimester. However, he appeals to the ministry of education to provide materials in time so that the delay shouldn’t disturb the program of the year.

School representatives reassure pupils and teachers. “There is a delay in bringing the teaching materials for post-basic schools but I hope that this will not affect the school year program,” says Gertrude Simbananiye, Headmistress of Lycée Communal Rohero.

Mrs. Simbananiye adds that teachers try to do research on the future lessons as they have the program of the whole year. However, she calls on the ministry of education to rapidly provide teaching materials for a smooth running of school programs.

Théogène Nzeyimana, Headmaster of Lycée Communal Musaga in the south of Bujumbura says his school expects to get those teaching materials at any time as the ministry already knows that the trimester has begun and new didactic materials are given per trimester.

Iwacu tried to contact the ministry of education to know when the new teaching materials are going to be available but in vain.

The basic education system started in 2013 in Burundi and students who started with it will receive their high school diplomas next year.