The Rusizi District administration has announced its commitment to ensure that by September 30, 2025, a total of 345 children who had dropped out of school will be reinstated.
In January 2025, the district identified around 700 school dropouts. Through joint efforts with various institutions, 355 of them have already been brought back to school.
According to Siborurema Timothée, a teacher at GS Kibumba, most dropouts are children who have just completed primary education or lower secondary school. “We face a major challenge with children who finish six years of primary school but do not continue to the first year of secondary. This is particularly common in rural schools where parents do not encourage their children to pursue further studies after completing primary or lower secondary education,” he said. Residents also expressed concern, noting that school dropouts are at higher risk of engaging in negative behaviors and petty crimes, especially those associated with groups commonly referred to as “Abameni.”
Usengimana Gerard, the Head of Education in Rusizi District, told IGIHE that 345 dropouts are set to be reintegrated into schools. “We have made school reintegration one of our district’s key performance targets. We are working closely with local authorities to ensure that all these children are back in school by the end of September 2025,” he said.
He added that this goal will be achieved through collaboration with different partners to support vulnerable families, especially those unable to afford school materials and fees.
Rusizi District currently has more than 175 schools, serving over 164,000 students.
Author: Justinmind HARERIMANA
