Burundian civil society organization ALUCHOTO is calling for greater transparency in Burundi’s ongoing teacher recruitment process, warning that favoritism and political interference are undermining fairness and legality.
In a press briefing held Tuesday, Vianney Ndayisaba, national coordinator of the organization, voiced serious concerns about the recruitment of 2,000 new teachers for the 2025–2026 school year. He claimed that the process is plagued by nepotism, political favoritism, and fraud—practices that violate both the country’s labor laws and principles of equal opportunity.
“We are deeply concerned about the lack of transparency in the teacher recruitment process,” Ndayisaba said. “Favouritism, political influence, and nepotism must be rooted out. Priority should go to those who pass the exams fairly and to those who have faced prolonged unemployment.”
The Ministry of Education recently announced a major expansion of its teaching workforce, more than doubling its usual annual intake of 600 to 700 teachers. The move, according to the ministry, aims to address various challenges, including accommodating requests for transfers, supporting educators with chronic illnesses, and preparing for retirements within the profession.
Speaking at a press conference last week, Education Minister François Havyarimana said the expanded recruitment drive is designed to offer relief to teachers who have long been stationed far from home or have special needs.
“This recruitment will help us resolve long-standing issues—teachers who were temporarily deployed in other provinces will now get relief,” Havyarimana stated. “We will also prioritize those with chronic illnesses, married couples working in different regions, and those nearing retirement by relocating them closer to home.”
However, ALUCHOTO raised concerns about the entrance exams that began last week across the country. The organization said the process is being distorted by the controversial requirement for candidates to provide proof of community service or volunteer work—documents which Ndayisaba claims are often forged or obtained through connections.
“We urge the government to reconsider this requirement,” he said. “We’ve seen cases where individuals with ties to authorities secure fraudulent certificates, even when they never participated in any community work. This undermines the credibility of the selection process.”
Citing Article 6 of Burundi’s Labor Code, Ndayisaba reminded the government that all citizens are entitled to equal treatment in employment, regardless of political opinion, ethnic origin, or social background. Any practice that favors individuals on the basis of affiliation or connections, he said, violates that legal standard.
Concerns over irregularities in teacher recruitment are not new. In 2024, Minister Havyarimana himself acknowledged widespread fraud, revealing that instead of the planned 2,912 new hires, he ended up signing around 10,000 assignment letters due to errors and manipulation at the provincial and communal levels.
“The figures didn’t add up,” Havyarimana said at the time. “The assignment letters should have matched the number of approved hires. I’ve had to keep signing more to correct the mistakes made last August.”
Ndayisaba emphasized that teaching roles should remain apolitical and be filled solely based on qualifications.
“These are not political appointments,” he said. “They are technical positions that should be awarded on the basis of merit—not party loyalty, ethnicity, or personal ties.”
Contacted for comment on the allegations made by ALUCHOTO, the Ministry of Education was not reachable.
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