TECHNICAL GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL
« CHOI JUNG SOOK – TAA MUZINDA »

Generally, in Burundian society, particularly in North-western provinces of the country, many poor rural parents prefer to send more boys than girls to school, believing that boys will help the whole family by protecting the family financially, while girls are marginalized believing that they will help their husbands and children in their new families. For that reason, girls in this region when they complete primary school do not attend high school, most of them are forced to remain at home for domestic works and end up being married when they are very young.

Other factors such as poverty, local mentality, gender inequalities and negative mindsets by parents, teachers and the communities around are other barriers to girl’s education and emancipation.

Trying to tackle these challenges and in the purpose of contributing to Girls’ education, IPSDI Burundi in collaboration with the community and his partners decided to open a Technical Girls’ High School of Muzinda with regards to promoting local and national development.

The Technical Girls High School of Muzinda project was realized with the support of Chou Jung Sook, a Korean organization and the local community The school has a capacity of 240 boarding students in six classes.

However, the opening of a girl’s boarding school in that region is an answer to girl’s access to good education and a relief for girls oppressed by gender discrimination, early marriage, unwanted pregnancy, and threat of AIDS and SGBV. Girls enrolled in the new Girls Boarding School for Food Technology will serve as role models, while preparing their future in the world of business.

Location : RUGAZI commune, Muzinda zone, Bubanza Province

By creating a specific Technical Girls High School, IPSDI Burundi, the initiator of the project made the adage that “To educate a woman is to educate a whole nation”.  Indeed, girls’ education is an effective tool for sustainable and social development, a long-term investment with exceptionally high returns because:

1. They are the first to transmit values and social rules, they are at the origin of our education, they are a link in the process of transmission of a way of life;

2. This project aims at drawing women out of the shadow of men to value the talents linked to their nature to make them agents of development;

3. This will generate a ripple effect that will trigger the much-sought-after positive change in Burundi.

A people – centered education that puts forward the Women’s Economic Empowerment. A safe, inclusive, competitive community, where staff and students strive for excellence.

1. To achieve gender equality by providing to vulnerable girls a modern and safe learning environment, where techniques, knowledge and skills are acquired to allow them transform their lives, communities and entire country;

2. To enhance girls’ education to meet the challenges of their time and inspire them to become extraordinary thinkers and innovators, courageous leaders, and women of integrity.

1. Quality training that will contribute to improving the living conditions of Burundian girls and women;

2. Promotion of female entrepreneurship;

3. General and technical training in the field of agro-food technologies;

4. Empowerment and endowment of practices for the young girl that can enable her to integrate successfully into the employment sector;

5. Prioritization of disadvantaged girls to give them more chances of succeeding in the state examination by giving them quality education and sustained support;

6. The participation of private companies in training to ensure a match between training and the world of work.

Train an A₂ technician in agro-food technologies capable of transforming agricultural and livestock products into products intended for consumption and integration into small and medium-sized enterprises or be called upon to operate in agro-food processing chains.