Burundi’s Ministry of Education has instructed provincial education authorities to immediately report, discipline, and replace teachers and other education staff who leave their posts, in a move that comes amid a growing exodus from the country’s struggling education sector.
In a recent correspondence addressed to Provincial Directors of Education, the Minister of National Education and Scientific Research, François Havyarimana, ordered school administrators to systematically report all staff departures to the ministry, regardless of the reason.
The directive emphasizes the suspension of salaries, the initiation of disciplinary procedures—particularly in cases described as “desertion”—and the swift replacement of departing staff in line with existing regulations.
The ministry further warned school officials that failure to report “deserters” could carry financial consequences. Any school leader found guilty of non-reporting may be required to reimburse salaries deemed to have been unduly paid to staff who had already left their positions.
The statement reflects growing concern within government circles over mounting staff losses across Burundi’s education system. From primary and secondary schools to higher education institutions, teachers and administrative personnel are increasingly abandoning their posts in search of better-paying opportunities abroad. Some are reported to be moving to Gulf countries, where they often take up jobs unrelated to their previous professions in education.
Educators cite persistently low wages, delayed or irregular salary payments, poor working environments, and limited career prospects as the main drivers behind their decisions to leave. Many teachers say their salaries no longer cover basic living costs, forcing them to choose between professional commitment and economic survival. As experienced staff exit the system, schools are often left understaffed or reliant on underqualified personnel, raising concerns about the long-term quality of education.
Rather than addressing these structural challenges, authorities have increasingly framed departures as acts of indiscipline or a lack of patriotism. Government officials have previously accused teachers who leave of abandoning their national duty, a narrative that has drawn criticism from education stakeholders and civil society actors. Critics argue that such rhetoric ignores the harsh realities faced by educators and shifts responsibility away from systemic failures
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