Bujumbura — The headmaster of the Teacher Training School and students are still at odds over the modalities for the beginning of the second semester. They demand the education minister be physically present to resolve their issue instead of the education commission which does not have final say in the matter.

The head of this school, Mrs Janvière Ndirahisha, maintains that the students' requests are being studied by an ad hoc commission appointed by the education minister.

The students also want the entrance exam to be lifted and the number of years required before entering the second cycle to be lessened. They want the same criteria as those applied to the students in the Higher Institute for Pedagogy of the University of Burundi.

The head of this Teacher Training school has already taken measures in an attempt at forcing his students who have been on strike since 7 January 2008 to return to school. The head of school has denied access to the campus to all students who are unwilling to study. Security measures have also been strengthened for those who have agreed to return to lectures.

This teacher training school opened in 1999 after it was set up by a presidential decree. The aims of this school are to provide teachers for the junior level of secondary schools. There has been a shortage of teachers in this level of secondary school after the departure of Rwandan teachers and an increase in the number of communal colleges. Dr Mpawenayo Prosper, the former education minister, who began this school, has another aim in mind also. After the crisis that had hit the University of Burundi, many Hutu students shied away from attending the University of Burundi which has become the decision centre for diehard political activists. The setup of this Teacher Training school was meant to give students who did not wish to attend the University of Burundi a chance of continuing their education.

The government has encouraged students of this school by giving prizes to the best students. The salaries of those who receive their degree at this school are much higher than the salaries of those who hold bachelor degrees from other local universities.