SOS Schools in Burundi

SOS Secondary School Bujumbura

The SOS Secondary School opened in 1997 and is regarded as one of the best secondary schools in the country. Because of this it is highly over-subscribed.

To date (2008), the SOS Secondary School of Bujumbura counts 572 pupils, 155 of whom are SOS youths. We have 327 students in the lower division and 245 in the upper division. It is worth mentioning that the school counts more girls than boys, respectively 294 girls, i.e. 51.39% and 278 boys, i.e. 48.6%

As for 2008 school performances, our school has just been classified in 1st position out of 16 schools in Economic Section with an average score of 72.05%, in 2nd position out of 112 schools in Arts Section with 68.80% and in 3rd position out of 101 schools in B Science Section. All in all, out of this year’s 60 graduates, 59 passed the State Exam, i.e. a passing rate of 98.3% to 98.04% last year.

As regards to the Respect of Child Rights, especially the right to child involvement in decision making, the school has associated boarding students in the updating of the Internal School Rules. The school has also taken part in a competition based on world knowledge called “Génies en Herbes” (Hidden talents) organised by the French Cultural Centre and took the 1st position for the fifth consecutive time.

At the posters competition known as ‘’La paix commence par moi’’(Peace Begins with Me) organised by Lions Club International, SOS High School of Bujumbura got a participation certificate and one of our participants was awarded. Furthermore, for the first time, a candidate from our school was admitted to the SOS International College of Ghana.

As for the sport influence, the men’s handball team has been classified in 1st position twice, first at the ‘’All Schools Championship’’ organised by the Ministry of National Education and second in a tournament organised by Burundi SOS Children’s Villages for the World Peace Games for Children and Youth in which 4 secondary school teams from Bujumbura city took part. Moreover, the same team took part in the East Africa School Champions Tournament organised in Rwanda in August. This was a good opportunity for our youths to measure themselves to the best school teams from that community.

The fight against AIDS has also been focused on through sensitisation sessions namely during a sensitisation campaign led by the association NTURENGAHO (a local association involved in the fight against AIDS) and at the International Day for the Fight against AIDS organised on November 29th. A school fête-tombola was organised on the school premises. It was successfully widespread throughout the township .The collected incomings have permitted to the school to afford some instructional equipments (a laptop, a digital overhead projector) and to provide it with a public address system.

Unfortunately, this year has been marked by the death of some of our senior co-workers, namely the Vice Director in charge of senior level studies and the Vice Director in charge of the Boarding.

SOS Primary School Bujumbura

The SOS Primary School, which opened in 1985, has nearly 500 pupils in 12 classes. In addition the SOS Primary School provides evening classes for 300 students.

The SOS Primary School works successfully its mission of educating children from SOS Children’s Village and from the neighbouring community. This school year, it counts 511 pupils from which 73 are from SOS Children’s Village, 437 from the neighbouring community and one other vulnerable child profiting from a school award from SOS Children. Their results at school as well as in competition with other schools prove that SOS Primary School gives an education of quality. Their results in the National Test, Edition 2008, confirm the facts: in that National Test, all the 75 pupils of Primary 6 A, B have succeeded and are now in Secondary School.

Further more; our School got the 1st place among the different schools of the town Bujumbura. The 2 first pupils in that National Test, 97, 5% and 96% are from our school 

At the end of the first term of this school year 2008-2009, we can also admire the pupil’s results.  In fact, 98, 62 % of the pupils succeeded in the examinations. Only 8 pupils couldn’t get more than 50%.

Beside those school activities, our school had some happy events such as on March the 1st corresponding to the victory of our Football Team in the “Tournament of Hope” gathering 4 primary private schools of Bujumbura. Closing activities were supported and bolstered up by the “Lion’s club members”

On November 1st, SOS Primary School participated in the “World Peace Games” for children and youth, 2008 Edition, which allowed children to discover the importance of those games in consolidation of social relations.

Within this spirit of improving social relations with the neighbouring community, our school recently got a new partner, the “No boundaries Sporting Association”.  This Association assured a vocational training for one of our staff in “Sporting Animation”, in favour of children in difficulties.

Let’s also mention that our school actively took part in celebrating the World Day of fight against HIV/AIDS on November 29th at the SOS Secondary School of Bujumbura.

SOS Nursery School Bujumbura

The SOS Nursery School of Bujumbura has just celebrated its 23rd anniversary with successful educational services, appreciated by parents of the neighbouring community. At the end of this year 2008, 187 children benefit from the Nursery school an awakening education including 23 from the Village, 2 from the Family Strengthening Programme (FSP) and 162 from the community.

After the class of ‘Nursery 3’ the children begin Primary 1 and successfully follow lessons. The results of the first term prove that they followed a nice programme at the SOS Nursery School.

The SOS Nursery School took part in many events. On June 28th, 2008, children of SOS Nursery School showed very nice cultural numbers, celebrating the International SOS Day.

On November 1st, the staff of the SOS Nursery School participated in events marking the Day dedicated to the World Peace Games for children and youth in order to join children of the world celebrating this event.

On November 29th, children of SOS Nursery School took part in fight against HIV/AIDS sensitizing activities. 

Spectators enjoyed very much the cultural numbers produced to this end.

As an ending line, on  December 18th, Children of the SOS Nursery School closed the first term by very enjoyable cultural numbers, and Father Christmas was there giving out very nice presents. On the same day, the staff of Nursery School organised a farewell party waving goodbye to the teacher who is retiring after 23 years of successful work, with  good and loyal performances on behalf of children who attended the  SOS Nursery School. 

There is also an SOS Nursery School for about 200 children. There is great demand for places - 120 applications for only 50 places.

SOS Primary School Gitega

The SOS Primary School opened in 1996 and it is one of the top-rated primary schools in the province.

By the end of 2008, the SOS Primary School Gitega has a total of  425 pupils of which 57 from the Village, 2 from the Family Strengthening Programme and 366 from the community. It totals up 12 class rooms against 11 last year.

Since our teaching system is appreciated by the community, we registered in August 71 applications of places in grade 1 and grade 4 whereas 27 places were available. A selection was given in order to take in the best.

During the 2007-2008 school year, we registered a satisfactory success rate of 99.2%. We also presented 36 candidates to the national competitive exam 2008 edition and everybody managed to get required results to accede to the secondary education and we come second at the provincial level. We are delighted with efforts provided of our behalf and on those of our partners.

In the framework of partnership, we supported 3 public schools in the grooming of their children to the national competitive exam giving access to secondary education.

Our collaboration with the International school of Gitega and the ‘Les Hirondelles’ school (that is swallows) was pursued. Five public primary schools of the place were part of the celebration of the day dedicated to World Peace Games for children and youths 2008 edition.

To improve the quality of our teachings, grade 1 teachers and SOS Primary Schools headmasters met during Easter holidays  to harmonise the content -subject of reading-writing French in first year. Equally, in August, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3 and grade 4 classroom teachers of the 4 SOS primary schools of the country participated in the harmonisation of the translations into French of environmental course teacher’s guide grade 1, arithmetic teacher’s guide from grade 2 to grade  4,   written in Kirundi so far. English curricular for grade 1, grade 2 and grade 3 were also adapted.

Child Rights Protection and Promotion clubs and the one of fight against HIV/AIDS pursued their activities. This latter prepared and performed a play in Kirundi entitled ‘Wishinga amaraha ukarahuka amagara’. Members of the aforesaid club organised a contest game named ‘Rallye Terre-Mars’ whose contestants were made of our pupils and those of two nearest public schools. The best ones were rewarded.

As part of blossoming, an excursion of grade 6 pupils, Nursery School staff and the one of primary school was carried out at the Gitega National Museum the next day of the 2007-2008 school year closing.

SOS Nursery School Gitega

We provide the preschool supervising to 86 children of whom 38 from the Village, 44 from the community and 4 from the Family Strengthening Programme. These latter are benefiting from a material and financial support from SOS Children.  The Nursery School is heavily over subscribed There is also an SOS Nursery School for 85 children. It is heavily over-subscribed - 70 applications for only 25 places. Staff at the SOS Nursery School also run workshops for teachers at other nursery schools.

We provide an upgrading special supervision to 7 children of maternal 2 so that they can directly move up to grade 1 with regard to their age in relation to their level. Unfortunately, we lost a child in February who was attending 2nd year class.
 
The school year 2007-2008 closed with a school party, whose festivities were based on the prevention of the child abandonment, child rights and the fight against HIV-AIDS.

At the end of 2008, we notice with satisfaction that all scheduled school and extracurricular activities were carried out. Co-workers meetings and those of parents were held and class visits carried out.  In the framework of co-workers blossoming, the Nursery school staff joined primary teachers during the excursion at the National Museum of Gitega organised for grade 6 pupils.

On the eve of 2008-2009 school year beginning, we registered a great deal of places application in first class as usual. We could not meet all those applications because the places are limited.

As far as partnerships are concerned, the Nursery school was solicited in September by preschool institutions of the place for their personnel capacity building. This is how educators from schools of: “Armida BERRELI”, “Bene Maria nuns”,  of “L’Enfant Jésus”, of “Calmerites nuns” and ”Source de vie” of Magarama followed a training  in the Nursery school.

The principal teacher of the nursery school also visited the “L’Enfant Jésus” nursery school in order to help supervisors of this school to create and fill out correctly the evaluation cards.

SOS Primary School Muyinga

The SOS Primary School opened in 1996. It is the only school in the region that teaches English and French. Muyinga SOS Primary School counts 431 pupils, 222 of whom are boys while 209 are girls. Among these children, 114 are children from the SOS Children’s Village, and 317 are from the community; of whom 11 are vulnerable children benefiting from SOS school awards.

During the 2008-2009 first term, we registered 414 successful results out of 428 pupils who sat for exams, that is a 96.72% success rate.

As regards national competitive exam results, our children also performed very well because on an enrolment of 51 candidates, 47 got the grade giving access to secondary education, that is a 92.15% success.
Note that our school comes top on 120 schools that count our school province.

In order to always improve our teachings quality, arithmetic teacher’s guide for primary 2, 3 and 4, designed in Kirundi in to French were translated into French which is our teaching language. 

During this year, we kept partnership with schools of the neighbouring community in doing common tests preparing the pupils to the national test which gives access to secondary education. The result of this work was that for these schools, the success rate in the national competitive exam evolved from 41. 7% in 2007 to 50.6% in 2008. This partnership was also spread to activities concerning the celebration of the African Child’s Day.

Indeed, we organised a football tournament while another one related to children’s Rights was taking place at the same time. These tournaments started on June 11th and the ended on July 27th, coinciding with the school year proclamation of the results in our school. Concerning these tournaments, our school won a prize on child rights while Islamic grade school won the football competition.

Parents who came for the proclamation also benefited from that opportunity to watch the final in both contests. That was an opportunity for the parents and the neighbouring population to notice that they can learn through games, especially when child rights are involved.

In the field of  fight against HIV/AIDS, three exchange sessions on the fight against this scourge were conducted by an agent from the Burundi Network of HIV- positive persons (Réseau Burundais des personnes vivant avec le VIH/Sida, RPB+) for grade 5 and 6. They were about the following themes:’ AIDS, a scourge that watches over youths, be able to say No’ and ‘fighting methods, infection modes and means of HIV/AIDS prevention.

SOS Nursery School Muyinga

The SOS Nursery School keeps after 85 children 49 of which are boys while 36 are girls. Among them, 28 are Village children while 57 are from the community.  Educational activities were based on intellectual development, socio emotional, moral and psychomotor.  Beside service meetings usually organised, educators were trained with much interest on master pedagogy and on first aid.

A supervising schedule of nursery school teachers ‘Preschool Circles’ of  the neighbourhood was set up and will be carried out with second term of the current school year.

In the framework of partnership, the SOS Nursery School took part in activities related to Global Peace Games for children and youth celebrated on October 31st, 2008 that saw the massive participation of Muyinga urban centre pupils.

The SOS Nursery School teachers educators also participated in the seminar on UN Child Rights Convention (UNCRC) organised at Muyinga for all NGOs’ partners working in favour of OVCs. The so-called seminary was closed by the celebration of the 19th anniversary of its ratification on 20 November 2008. It was a occasion to realise that Chid Rights are rarely respected and that most of people still ignore them. As far as our nursery school is concerned, we realised that we have to sensitise children parents on the respect of these rights.

On December 4th, 2008, the SOS Nursery School took part in the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), an NGO whose activities are nowadays based on search of people’s wellbeing in general and children’s in particular.

To end with, let us indicate that the Christmas party, “Christmas for children” was colourfully celebrated on December 19th, 2008, in the presence of the children‘s parents and other guests. Games both numerous and varied, in particular the presence of Father Christmas who gave out presents to children, amazed  participants to that celebration.

SOS Nursery School Rutana

At the SOS Nursery School Rutana, we have just wound up the year 2008 with an enrolment of 76 children of whom 20 from the Village, 6 from the Family Strengthening Programme (FSP) and 50 from the community.

Pre-school activities normally went on by putting an emphasis on intellectual and psychomotor skills development. It is in this regard that teachers took the initiative to write recitations and poems on habitual themes of language entertainment activities.  This was to make available various learning equipments enabling the animation of speech activities/recitation with ease.

Extracurricular-wise, the nursery school children actively celebrated for the first time Christmas Day thanks to the support of parents. On this occasion, they performed rich and various numbers made of poems, sketches, songs and dances. They emotionally discovered a ‘Santa Claus’ mysterious but kind and generous fairly giving out presents to all children.

Regarding partnership, the Teaching Provincial Management of Rutana gave to the SOS Nursery School a donation of coloured pencils and pencil sharpeners cardboards in order to support pre-writing activities/children drawings colouring.

SOS Primary School Rutana

The year 2008 at the SOS Primary School of Rutana has just come to its  end with an enrolment of 232 pupils of whom 95 children from the Village and 137 children from  the community. 

As far as school results are concerned, the school registers a success rate of 95.7% to December 2008 examinations counting for 2008-2009 first term. Village Children succeeded with 95.7% and those of the community with 95.6% with.

In order to improve SOS children’s results the training and supervision work by remedial classes/enhancement and by personalised education for identified children having serious learning problems continued throughout the year on Mondays and Thursdays in the afternoon.

At the National primary leaving examination 2008 edition, all the 37 pupils registered in grade 6 got the required grade to accede to secondary school, that is to say a 100% success rate.

Thus, the school got the 1st placing out of 89 schools of the Rutana province.

In the matter of human resources development, the headmaster held workshops in all the four Villages of the country and at the SOS Secondary School for all SOS Co-workers in close relation with youth training and supervision to talk about issues regarding sexuality. The aforesaid workshops aimed at helping co-workers to tackle with SOS youth questions concerning sexuality with ease and bring the latter to adopt responsible sexual behaviours.

With regard to advocacy work on behalf of Child Rights, the conduct of ‘Child Rights’ club activities went on at school and the aforesaid club was initiated in the two public primary schools  of the region. It is important to stress that its due to the children’s active participation in this club that the school managed to send 9 candidates to the composition contest on the theme “My vision for children’s parliament in Burundi” organised by UNICEF. Note that one of contestants was given a prize (a cassette recorder equipped with a CD drive) whereas all the nine participants were trained on Child Rights held in Bujumbura and funded by UNICEF. Furthermore, children got home with an important documentation on Child Rights.

In addition and after the advocacy work done by the staff with the public to support the educational action, 250 kilos of sugar, 50 pens and packets of sweets were generously offered to the school respectively by the Sugar Processing Company of Mosso ‘SOSUMO’ and some pupils’ parents. By way of school emulation, these donations were given out on the occasion of 1st term 2008-2009 results proclamation to pupils who have performed well.