BURUNDI
Thousands affected as ministry fails to pay allowances
Thousands of students from the University of Burundi (UB) in Bujumbura have been affected by a delay of about six months in the payment of their government-sponsored living allowances.The Burundi Ministry of Education and Scientific Research has shifted the blame to the ministry of finance, saying the bursary fees were not transferred on time.
Meanwhile, an estimated 4,900 affected students, mainly second- and third-years as well as masters candidates in their first year of study, who rely on the roughly US$30 (BIF60,000) to US$50 per month for living expenses, have been appealing to the government to intervene and solve the problem.
Students who spoke to University World News said they had not been receiving living allowances or bursaries for the past six months and did not know who to turn to for help.
Those supported belong to poor families and rely on the monthly stipends offered by the government to buy daily meals, pay rent if they do not live on campus, and buy other basics they need as students.
“It’s been six months now without getting our monthly bursaries. We are living in poor conditions. Life is tough as we lack basics such as foodstuff and rent. The situation is getting worse and we are not sure the issue will be solved soon,” said Yvette Kabura, a second-year student from UB pursuing a qualification in Kirundi- Kiswahili.
“How can I convince the owner of a food outlet to give me something to eat when I have not been paying for five months or so?” she asked.
Other students said landlords have evicted them after they failed to pay rent for months. Some may opt for quitting courses if they don’t get the bursary arrears that have been accumulating for months to clear debts and pay other expenses.
John Ndikuriyo, a second-year student in the faculty of arts and human sciences, said he and his three colleagues have to pay rent of BIF60,000 and the landlord has threatened to evict them because they are in arrears.
“We are living in a house with one room and a small dining room that we share as four roommates and each pay BIF15,000. However, the landlord is fed up and he threatens to evict us because we have spent four months without paying rent,” said Ndikuriyo.
“We cannot even afford two meals a day. We opt for buying basic food such as beans, palm oil and cassava flour that we depend on every day. We also struggle to buy … other basics we need to learn,” he added.
Release of funds
Commenting on the delays in the disbursement of monthly allowances, Alexandre Mfisumukiza, the director of the office in charge of bursaries and internships in the Burundi Ministry of Education and Scientific Research, said the ministry of finance does not transfer the fees meant for bursaries on time.
“We plan for government-sponsored students who will need bursaries and provide a list of them and the needed amount of money during budget preparation in July. However, the ministry of finance does not transfer the amount as requested and we are obliged to wait for the next year’s budget, which causes delays,” he acknowledged.
He also added that the final list of students who should get monthly stipends arrives at the ministry of education and scientific research level late from the ministry of finance.
“The registration of students who should get monthly stipends coincides with the return of students and resumption of courses, so we receive the final list of stipends beneficiaries late and it also results in delays in disbursing available funds,” he added.
Mfisumukiza said the education ministry was looking into the matter to ensure that students who should benefit from monthly stipends get it on time and that the problem is solved for good.
“The ministry is already analysing the matter and the issue of delayed bursaries will be regulated soon,” he said.
The 4,900 government-sponsored students at the University of Burundi during the 2020-21 academic year has increased from 2,500 students in the 2017-18 year, which was the last available official figure.
Each student gets BIF60,000 (about US$30) a month in the lower (undergraduate) level and BIF100,000 (about US$50) a month in the upper (postgraduate) level.
All beneficiaries have to pay back the money they received once they start working or generating an income, paying 10% of their monthly income until their study debt is cleared.