Burundi wants education for all by 2015

Burundi wants to have universal education by the year 2015. The country is also planning a just and right education system. Other objectives are to ensure pupils who fail to enter secondary school are reasonably managed, to improve the quality of public schools and utilise available resources...

The Burundi education system comprises formal and informal teaching. The formal education is made up of four levels. The pre-primary (kindergarten), primary, lower secondary, technical secondary and upper secondary. Kindergarten schools enroll children aged three to six years for a duration of three years. The schools providing this type of education in Burundi are mostly privately owned.

Structure of school system:
Primary school education is provided by primary schools (Ecole primaire).The age level for the pupils is between six to 12 years. The primary school programme lasts for six years and upon completion the pupils are awarded a primary leaving school certificate (Certificat de Fin d'Etudes Primaries)

Lower Secondary
The type of school providing this education is known as College. It caters for students aged between 12 and 16 years. The programme runs for four years and upon completion the student is awarded a Lower Secondary Level Certificate, (Certificat du Tronc commun)
From Lower Secondary, the students aged between 12 to 17 years join Technical Secondary School (Lower Level) for five years. Upon graduation he or she receives a Technician Diploma A3 for Lower Level (Technicien)

Technical Secondary
Technical Secondary School is for students aged between 12 to 19 years and the programme takes seven years. A Technician Diploma A3 for Upper Level (Technicien) is awarded at this stage.

Upper Secondary School This type of education is provided by schools (Lycée), which admit students aged between 16 and 19 years. Upon graduation the students are awarded a School Education diploma (Diplome d'Etat)

Schooling at upper secondary level lasts three years and gives one access to higher education.
Higher education
This is mainly provided by the Université du Burundi. It 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 of Burundi. Policy-making is the responsibility of a Governing board appointed by the President.
Four private universities have been created recently.
The academic year starts in October and ends in June.
The long vacation starts from July 1, to October 1.
The languages of instruction is French.


Stages of studies
-Non-university level post-secondary studies (technical/vocational type). Several ministries organise higher level courses.

University level
first stage
The first stage of study lasts for two years and leads to the Candidature.

University level
second stage
A further two year-study beyond the Candidature leads to the License. In Medicine, the professional title of Docteur en Médecine is awarded after a further four years of study following the Candidature. In Civil and Agronomic Engineering, courses last for five years and lead to the award of the professional title of Ingénieur. The Diplôme d'Ingénieur Technicien is conferred after three or four years’ training in the technical institutes.

University level
third stage:
The third stage leads to a Diplôme d'Etudes Approfondies (DEA) or Doctorat de 3ème Cycle A Diplôme d'Etudes approfondies is conferred in subjects such as Computing, Physics and Agricultural Planning following the License or the Diplôme d'Ingénieur. In Medicine, there are two stages which lead to a professional Doctorate in Medicine after six years and a Special Doctorate after five more years of study and the presentation of a major thesis in Clinical Biology, Paediatrics, Surgery, Gynaecology and Internal Medicine.

Teacher Education
This involves training of pre-primary and primary or basic school teachers

Primary school teachers are trained in lycées pédagogiques, which offer studies divided into two cycles of two years each. In-service training of primary teachers is a regular activity of the Office for Rural Education (BER), a curriculum development agency.