Training
During the 2000s, relatively large investments were made
in education. At the end of the 1990s, about 80 percent of
Burundi's adult population was literate, compared with just
under 40 percent in 1990. Officially compulsory schooling
(7-13 years) is compulsory. In 2010, 85 per cent of the
elementary school age were enrolled. The language of
instruction is round. More than 60 per cent of the children
complete primary school, and about 40 per cent go on to
secondary school.
Secondary education, which also includes vocational and
teacher education, is highly sought after and the entry
requirements are high. Almost 20 percent of 16-20 year olds
attend upper secondary schools. The language of instruction
is French.
The country's only state university, in the capital
Bujumbura, has about 13,000 students. In addition, there are
some smaller private universities. In 2012, government
spending on the education sector was just over 16 percent of
the state budget.
In January 2013, Burundi was subject to the UN Human
Rights Council's periodic review. Many governments expressed
concern in the Council about the number of political
murders, impunity for human rights violations, restrictions
on press freedom and several other issues. The Burundi
government rejected all the Council's proposals to fight
impunity for political assassinations. It also rejected
proposals aimed at preventing discrimination on the basis of
sexual orientation and finally rejected proposals to
decriminalize homosexuality.
In March 2013, police shot into a crowd of believers near
Businde in Kayanza province, killing 9 men, women and
children. The group of believers perceived themselves as
Roman Catholic, but were not recognized by the Roman
Catholic Church in the country. There had already been
several clashes between the faithful and the authorities.
Hundreds had been arrested in late 2012 and early 2013 and
charged with "rioting". In March-April 2013, another 200
were arrested. They were summarily sentenced the same day up
to 5 years in prison, and without access to defense
attorneys. Following the appeal, most convictions were
reduced to fines.
In June, the government passed a new press law that
drastically curtailed the freedom of the press, and it also
made a bill restricting assembly and demonstration freedom.
The leaders of most opposition parties who had been in
exile up to the 2010 elections returned to the country
during 2013 in preparation for the 2015 election campaign.
In March 2014, Nkurunziza banned jogging due to "fears it
is a cover for undermining business". According to the BBC,
the tradition of jogging on Saturday morning started during
Burundi's many years of ethnic conflict. Bujumbura residents
were drained of frustration and fear of the armed partisans
in the hills surrounding the capital by running - often in
groups. Also in March, 21 supporters of the opposition MSD
were sentenced to life imprisonment for using jogging to
organize an illegal demonstration that developed violently.
In May, Pierre Claver Mbonimpa, chairman of one of the
country's human rights organization (Association pour la
protection des droits humains et des personnes détenues,
APRODH), was arrested after speaking on the radio based on
allegations that young Burundians were armed and trained in
the Democratic Republic of Congo. He was charged with
endangering state security and using false documents. The
66-year-old Mbonimpa was released 4 months later for
"health" reasons. The arrest of Mbonimpa was part of a
general offensive against presumptive critics of the regime
and opposition in preparation for the 2015 elections. in
2015. Restrictions that came after a series of violent
assaults by the government's youth organization - including
in the form of assaults at meetings organized by the
opposition. |
