About 105 primary school teachers of Gitega Commune (in central province of the country) are transferred to other localities. They stand against the unjust decision.
Some teachers coming to inquiry about their cases on the noticeboard at Gitega Urban Lycée
Headmasters would be responsible for rigging files of teachers redeployed. “This is an outright injustice”, says angrily a teacher who has been moved 20 km away from his home and former school. As many teachers indicated, the redeployment process is not a wrong act but the criteria used by officials of the provincial commission in the redeployment are unfair and destabilizing.
“It is entirely unfair to move a father or a mother from one commune to another, ignoring the psychological, financial and social impacts of such an act,” regrets Liberat, a classroom teacher, redeployed while his assistant stayed at the same school. According to others, the redeployment comes to worsen teachers’ living conditions already deplorable.
“Could someone explain to me how I could find BIF 15,000 for fare each day with my petty salary? They want to put us in unbearable conditions aiming mainly at dismissing us”, complains Antoinette, in tears. For her, headmasters are chiefly responsible for such an unfair and degrading activity.
«There has been some irregularities and corruption. If you analyze closely, it is clear that the principles have submitted wrong files to the provincial commission in charge of redeployment”, said Claver, at Gitega Urban Lycée.
Schools officials deny the allegations
For parents, this redeployment is a punishment for children. They indicate that it will affect school results.
“How can a teacher who travels 30 km a day give lessons properly? Our children and us are victims of redeployment. Instead of recruiting other teachers, they destabilize those who already have experience”, they put it.
The same view is shared by the Union of Burundi Education Workers in Gitega (S.T.E.B). They said that the decision violates teachers’ rights. For Rubin Hezumuryano, the teaching staff wished it would be a shift instead of redeployment.
“We have not been associated with the commission but what we can do is to identify all the irregularities already found to review the cases.”
According to Isaie Ndikumana, the Yoba primary school principle in Gitega Commune, headmasters are not responsible for the redeployment. “It is the decision of the education ministry. We did nothing about it”, he said.
Contacted, the provincial education director spoke of a national decision. According to him, those who are not satisfied with the decision should bring their complaints to the education ministry in Bujumbura.
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By Jean-Noel Manirakiza translated by Diane Uwimana
IWACU Open Data
