New school desks to improve learning in Gatumba
In four public primary schools in Gatumba, 3,025 students will benefit from 497 new desks through the partnership between the Government of Burundi, the People’s Republic of China and UNICEF, supporting the “Zero Child Sitting on the Floor” campaign.
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A suitable place to sit and learn. That is what the new school desks are bringing to students in four Basic Education Schools (ECOFOs) in Gatumba. On 6 October 2026, ECOFO Gatumba VII hosted the official handover ceremony of these desks to ECOFO Gatumba II, IV, V and VII. The event brought together students, teachers, local authorities and partners in a festive atmosphere, marked by songs, traditional Burundian dances and performances by renowned drummers.
The ceremony was attended by the Minister of National Education and Scientific Research, the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Burundi, and the UNICEF Representative in Burundi, alongside local administrative authorities and members of the school community.
Equipment to meet schools’ needs
In Gatumba, inadequate school infrastructure and equipment continue to affect learning conditions. Established in 2013, ECOFO Gatumba VII serves more than 1,050 students, including 561 girls. The school has only nine classrooms for 15 teaching groups, with an average of 70 students per classroom.
These challenges are compounded by a shortage of textbooks, insufficient water points, and a lack of qualified teachers. The 150 school desks provided to the school offer a concrete response to the shortage of furniture and will help improve the conditions in which students learn.
A Shared Commitment to Better Learning Conditions
For the UNICEF Representative, education is one of the most important investments in the future of children and the country. “Each of these school desks represents far more than a piece of school furniture: it provides a child with a place to learn, participate, and fully develop their potential.”
She also praised China’s renewed commitment to supporting the education of Burundian children. For the second consecutive year, the Embassy of China has supported schools across the country through a donation of school desks, with UNICEF providing implementation support. This enduring partnership aims to improve learning conditions in public schools.
The Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Burundi emphasized that education is a cornerstone of a country’s development and an essential investment in its future. She highlighted this initiative as part of the educational cooperation between the two countries, which includes school construction, scholarships, the provision of educational materials, and vocational training.
Launched in 2024, the project pursues a shared objective: ensuring that no Burundian child is forced to learn in inadequate conditions.
This support complements national efforts. According to the Minister of National Education and Scientific Research, the Government of Burundi has mobilized 18 billion Burundian francs to manufacture school desks using timber produced in various communes across the country. The goal is to provide students with a more dignified and conducive learning environment.
The Minister commended the contribution of China and UNICEF, as well as the positive response of technical and financial partners to the Government’s call to support the “Zero Child Sitting on the Floor” campaign.
As the end of the UNICEF Representative’s three-year assignment in Burundi approaches, the Minister also thanked the organization for its support to inclusive education, early childhood education, and the “Zero Child Sitting on the Floor” campaign. On behalf of the Government and the people of Burundi, he commended UNICEF’s efforts to mobilize resources to improve learning outcomes and invited the Representative to remain “an ambassador for Burundi and its education sector” beyond her mission in the country.
For the children of the four schools in Gatumba, these new school desks first and foremost mean having a proper place to sit and learn. They represent a concrete step towards the shared goal of ensuring inclusive, equitable and quality education for all.
