ETS Kamenge serves as the largest boarding school in Burundi, currently housing more than 2,400 students. The government provides a daily food allocation of 3,000 Burundian francs per student to support these operations.
Students report significant challenges with the current meal arrangements. One unnamed student stated, "Ku meza [imwe] turi benshi, abanyeshure 12. Hari igihe usanga baduhaye indya zidakwiye bigatuma umunyeshure atiga neza kubera aba agifise inzara."
Director Julien Burikukiye acknowledged the difficulty of maintaining consistent nutrition amidst rising market costs. He noted, "Tugiye kuraba ingene ibiciro bigenda biduga, ntivyoroshe ariko turagerageza mu buryo bwose bushoboka no mu buryo reta iduha, abana bagashobora gufungura gatatu ku munsi." School administrators continue to manage the budget to ensure three daily meals for the student population.
Rising Costs and Scarcity
ETS Kamenge requires 670 kilograms of cassava flour every day to prepare lunch for its student body. Market fluctuations have pushed the price of this staple commodity up to 4,000 Burundian francs per kilogram.
Procuring alternative staples presents a greater financial challenge for the institution. A single kilogram of high-quality rice now costs 10,000 Burundian francs or more. These prices significantly strain the resources available to provide consistent nutrition for the 2,400 students currently enrolled at the boarding school. Administrators must balance these commodity costs against the fixed daily government allocation of 3,000 Burundian francs per student.
Student Experiences and Health
Students at ETS Kamenge report that meals provided by the boarding school sometimes contain stones, raising concerns among the student body regarding potential health risks. These reports regarding food quality coincide with observations about the nutritional variety available to those residing at the institution.
Meat is served to students only once per year. This occurs exclusively on 1 May to mark Labor Day. The school administration manages food distribution for the 2,400 students enrolled at the site, balancing the limited government allocation against the costs of daily staples. While administrators continue to work toward providing three meals daily, the infrequency of protein-rich meals remains a consistent feature of the boarding school experience for the student population.
Future Expansion and Challenges
The Burundian government intends to increase the number of students living in boarding facilities starting in 2026. This policy shift aims to expand the capacity of residential education across the country.
Ministry of Education data indicates that less than 20 percent of secondary school students in Burundi are currently boarders. Expanding this population requires additional infrastructure and consistent resource allocation to maintain student welfare. ETS Kamenge and other institutions face pressure to adapt to these shifts while managing existing enrollment numbers. The ministry has not yet disclosed specific targets for the enrollment growth scheduled for 2026. Education officials continue to evaluate the capacity of boarding schools to accommodate a larger student body under current budget frameworks.