At the secondary school of Mukenke,in Bwambarangwe commune, KIrundo province, some teachers ask for money and harass sexually their pupils in order to get marks. This practice is not new at all, but the administrative authorities of this school make as if they do not know what is going on.

Since the school year 2002- 2003, some students have started to flee this school to go in other secondary schools such as at Kanyinya and Kirundo high schools or elsewhere. Those who fled this school were mainly students who had failed or those of the upper cycle who were fond of acquiring knowledge.

The students of the Mukenke secondary school complained about this situation and people advised them to speak it out. The director of this school and the provincial Director of Education in Kirundo were well-informed of what was going on but had done nothing to put an end to this practice.

This school year 2005-2006, the directors of the Kanyinya and Kirundo secondary schools refused to give places to students who were fleeing Mukenke secondary school. This aroused the students to put an end on this by denouncing 9 of the teachers they qualified as being immoral. The pupils say that these teachers ask corruption to students, money to boys and girls are to have sexual intercourse with them otherwise they wouldn’t succeed.

The situation became difficult to handle when it broke out. The school authorities who had not taken necessary measures felt guilty and tried to appear innocent by pretending not being informed of the case. One can also notice that some innocent teachers may be victims of this situation because the investigation has not been carried out thoroughly.

Some of the accused teachers speak of false testimonies by some students pupils who had failed. They also denounce that the school authorities are closing an eye on the cases of some true guilty teachers. Nevertheless, one of the professors among those who are sued in the court, Murasandonyi Augustin, acknowledged in public hearing that he received from the student a sum of BiF65.000 , but denies that it was a corruption.

He says that the students gave it to him willingly to thank him for having well taught them. Let’s mention that it does not often happen that a student thanks his teacher in that way. After public hearing, the provincial Court of Kirundo released him on November 29, 2005.

Let us note that the Speaker of Burundi National Assembly asked the attorney of Kirundo to go through the investigations again on the cases of all the suspected teachers including the released one. Moreover, administrative measures were already taken before the issue of the investigations.

D/M.I.