Survey of ICT and Education in Africa : Burundi Country Report

Abstract

This short country report, a result of larger Information for Development Program (infoDev)-supported survey of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in education in Africa, provides a general overview of current activities and issues related to ICT use in education in the country. The crisis of 1993 and the long drawn-out conflict that followed in Burundi had a devastating effect on education and greatly exacerbated the underlying problems that existed before. However, a new momentum has been achieved and Burundi is now fully in recovery. Critical to recovery is the education development plan that is expected to be finalized this year and that will spell out the government strategy for the education sector. The national ICT for development policy that was adopted recently is expected to focus the adoption and use of ICT by the country to achieve its strategic objectives. It is, however, important that an ICT for education policy that identifies the priority areas in which ICT can catalyze development and improve both access and quality of education in the county be developed. This sector-specific policy should take into account the overall education strategic goals drawn up from the development plan.