The number of cases of school dropouts continues to increase in the Makamba provinces in the south of the country and Rutana in the south-east of the country, i.e. more than 4,000 cases of school dropouts in each province in the first quarter of the school year. in progress. The situation is similar in the provinces of Kayanza, Kirundo and Ngozi in the north of the country. Household poverty would be the main cause. This invites the extension of school canteen programs
Of the nine children I gave birth to, only two were able to complete secondary school. The others dropped out of school being in the 7th or 8th grade or even in the 5th grade and went to Tanzania to look for seasonal work”
“Of nine children I gave birth to, only two were able to complete secondary school. The others dropped out of school being in 7th or 8thyear or even in 5th year and went to Tanzania to look for seasonal work,” laments Emmanuel Nsengiyumva, a 60-year-old living on Migongo hill, Kibago commune in Makamba province.
And Joline Manirabona, 50-year-old living on Kabizi hill, Kayogoro commune of Makamba province, agrees: “Because of poverty, my two beautiful children dropped out when they were in basic school”.
Immaculate Ahishakiye living in the center of the province of Rutana testifies that the cases of school dropouts are not numerous in the capital of the province. Mother of 6 children, she indicates that three of them have already finished their studies. This despite the fact that they still remain unemployed. “The last is in 5th basic school year.
Adrien Ndikumwenayo, secretary of the parents’ committee at the basic school of Rutana I informs that cases of school dropouts are not frequent in the capital of the province of Rutana. This is not the case in other establishments in remote areas.
Ernest Irutingabo from Runyonza hill, Kirundo commune and province confirms that he dropped out of school last year in 5th basic school year. This is because of the poverty of the parents. “Currently, I work in the fields as a seasonal worker for a salary of 1,500 FBu per day”, he notifies. Eric Hatungimana from Nyanza-lac commune, Makamba province, took up fishing to escape the poverty of his family, which does not make it easy for him to attend school.
Frequency of school dropouts at Rugwe Basic School
“Among 608 students enrolled in the basic school of Rugwe at the start of the 2022-2023 school year, 58 have already dropped out of school,” laments Marcus Munezero, director of this unique establishment on Murama-Rugwe hill, Bukemba commune. of the province of Rutana, a basic school located 23 kilometers from the capital of the province Rutana.
For him, those who have dropped out of school devote themselves mainly to transplanting, weeding and harvesting the rice sown in the valleys of Rugwe and Piroti.
The rallying point for those who do seasonal work is called “Somalia”, he points out before recalling that the hourly remuneration is 1,500 FBu while the daily remuneration varies between 7,000 FBu and 8,000 FBu.
Rutana: Proven cases of school dropouts in the first trimester
According to Louise Nshimirimana, advisor in charge of planning and statistics in the provincial directorate of education in Rutana, four thousand four hundred eleven (4,411) students dropped out of school in the first term of the 2022 school year- 2023 in the province of Rutana in the south-east of the country.
Among these dropouts, girls number one thousand nine hundred and eight (1,908) while boys number two thousand five hundred and three (2,503).
Louise Nshimirimana, adviser in charge of planning and statistics in the provincial directorate of education in Rutana: “The causes of these school dropouts are, in particular, poverty in households, disinterestedness, the search for seasonal work, pregnancies unwanted…”
“The causes of these school drop-outs are, in particular, poverty in households, disinterestedness, the search for seasonal work, unwanted pregnancies…”, explains Ms. Nshimirimana before announcing that the school canteen program has not affected schools throughout the province of Rutana. However, she believes, this program might be one of the actions to keep students in school.
Makamba: More than 4,500 cases of school dropouts in the first quarter
“Four thousand seven hundred and ninety-five (4,795) students dropped out of school in the first quarter of the 2022-2023 school year in Makamba province in the south of the country,” says Syrdie Ndagijimana, advisor in charge of planning and statistics in the provincial directorate of education in Makamba.
He announces that among these cases of school dropouts, girls number two thousand two hundred and fifteen (2215), while boys number two thousand five hundred and eighty (2580).
For him, poverty in households, disinterestedness, the search for employment in neighboring countries such as Tanzania and Zambia, unwanted pregnancies are singled out as causes of these school dropouts.
The North in time
Anicet Ndayisenga, administrative and financial adviser in the provincial directorate of education in Kayanza recognizes cases of school dropouts in this province.
“264 students dropped out of school at the preschool level, 4,833 students dropped out of school at the basic school level, 163 at the general post-fundamental school level…”, he exclaims.
And to announce: “The students who drop out of school come from poor households. There are others who drop out of school because of school failure, illnesses, unwanted pregnancies”.
However, he confirms that no establishment of the provincial directorate of education in Kayanza benefits from school canteen programs.
Elias Ciza, communal inspector of education in Gatara in the provincial direction of education of Kayanza admits that the cases of school dropouts are increasing in the communal direction of education in Gatara compared to previous years.
“The students enrolled in the first quarter of 2022-2023 numbered 19,152, including 9,817 girls. Of these, 490 including 229 girls have dropped out of school due to household poverty. Moreover, it is estimated that 328 students have dropped out of school because of household poverty,” he certifies.
Gratien Irakiza, municipal director of education in Kiremba in the provincial directorate of education in the province of Ngozi, does not go overboard.
It reveals that the cases of school dropouts are increasing day by day compared to previous years.
Eric Hatungimana from the Muguruka fishing site, Nyanza-lac commune in Makamba province: “As my family might not feed me when I returned from school, I preferred to seek life in fishing” .
“The cases of school dropouts for the first 3 cycles of basic school until February 23, 2023 are evaluated at 1,166. For the 4th cycle and the post-basic level, we have 346 cases of school drop-outs, ”he insists.
And to regret that poverty in the families, the rural exodus, the ignorance of the parents, the lack of didactic material, the unwanted pregnancies and the lack of interest are among the causes of these dropouts.
This means that the students resort to rural activities to look for something to eat. And to realize that the policy of school canteens is only a decoy.
Léocadie Mukaporona, provincial director of education in the province of Kirundo announces that the school canteen program is functional in some schools in the province of Kirundo. The added value, in the establishments where the program is implemented, there is a large number of students.
“However, if it happens that there is a stock shortage in the establishments that benefit from the school canteen program, cases of school dropouts follow automatically,” explains Ms. Mukaporona.
She said that at the end of the first quarter of the 2022-2023 school year, out of 196,926 students enrolled, there were 7,989 cases of school dropouts, including 4,234 boys and 3,755 girls. Climate changes that cause low production would be the main cause of these cases of school dropouts.
Elias Nibizi, deputy hill chief of Runyoza hill, commune and province of Kirundo welcomes the school canteen program because, he says, it helps keep students in school.