8 December 2007
Bujumbura — The education minister, Dr. Saidi Kibeya, has decided to send home all students of the University of Burundi. Four campuses are concerned with measure. Students will have to come back within a week for a new registration.
More than 30 leaders of the students' association, ASSER, will be denied access to any university hosted in Burundi for a period ranging between two to three years. The association of students was also dismissed. This was announced today by the education minister, in a press conference that he held in the science faculty of the University of Burundi. The institute of agronomy located at Gitega is not concerned by this measure.
This decision follows an incident that opposed students and lecturers of this university on 13 November 2007. Dr. Théophile Ndikumana took pictures of students during initiation process for the freshers without prior permission. The standoff that followed led lecturers to boycott teaching asking a police investigation.
This decision that was endorsed yesterday by the cabinet meeting has been hailed with satisfaction by the lecturers although it aggrieved students. Students have not yet announced their next moves, but, it is highly unlikely they are going to leave the university's campuses.
In last July 2007, the education minister sought to send students back home, but failed. The Chancellor of the University who also supported that the current academic year could not be cancelled was replaced.
Yesterday, a meeting chaired by leaders of their dismissed association took place. Police have been increased in Campus Mutanga, and there is fear that might be bloodshed should the police try to use force to send students back home.
The government has chosen to open another front while it is unable to find satisfying solution to the malaise that is characteristic of all walks of the social life.
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