Opening of the Academic Year- with Satisfactions and Hopes

The Reference School ‘Amie des enfants’ in Matana, began the Academic year 2015-2016 with satisfaction of the past year and future hopes.

The 2015-2016 Aademic Year officially began this Monday, September 7, 2015 with 133 students where 64 students are in the 8th Grade and 69 in the 7th Grade. The opening ceremonies were attended by the Mrs. Spès Nihangaza Legal Representative of the FVS-Amade Burundi Association who created this school accompanied by the Legal Representative and other staff members of FVS-AMADE Burundi and the school staff as well.

In her speech to officially launch the academic year, Mrs. Spès Nihangaza has welcomed the new students and encouraged the elders of the school to ensure that new entrants quickly familiarize with the new environment.

She then recalled the school objective which is to ‘prepare future technicians, future competent and honest managers which Burundi needs to grow while including Orphans and Vulnerable Children’. Thus, the quality of education should be the first concern of the school; the objective being to be ranked among the top three schools in national tests she said.

Assessments of each other with respect to strategies implemented

'The teacher is the key to success and quality' as was said a teacher of this school Ntakarutimana Evariste, a reference school teachers "Friend of Children" Matana. He acknowledges that the recruitment of teachers is done on competitive bases so that it is best to be retained. He confirms that the tests selections are conducted in all transparency because and testifies that they emphasize on the performance through the tests selection that are organized in this way and we are sure we chose the best.

Regarding the technical and material conditions, the Benchmark School 'Amis des enfants’ has sufficient IT Park. Each student and each teacher has a computer to work with. Beyond that they have installed a learning and research software "Edubox" that helps a lot to update the lessons' as confirmed by Dieudonné MANAMPA Director of the school. This software also allows teachers to send their homework to distance learners and either send back the work for correction.

It ensures quality supervision monitoring. To achieve this, the school has planned to accommodate the teachers close to the school to the extent that the evening preparation (Prep) can be easily organized and supervised by these teachers. The teachers with whom we spoke are satisfied.

The satisfaction is also found on the parents' side. Dr. Julien Nimubona who was also Minister of higher education is among the parents who chose to send their children at the Reference school ‘Amis des enfants’ he talks about why he chose this school for his child 'This is a project that aims for excellence in the education of children, and it is a project which is presented as a model of training, in the form of content, in the form of coaching quality .... We believe that this is a project that gives credibility from the start. '.

'It's cool', 'it's very good', 'all is well here' Here in a few words that learners qualifies the school, when asked the question of how they feel about the school and how they see their living condition and learning at school.

In short, we can say without risk of error that 'They have all the ingredients for a quality education that must characterize a school of excellence'.

Partnership and Public Relations

In order to achieve this educational project; the FVS-Amade Burundi has been in Partnership with International Organization who have made a great contribution into the realization of this project, there is la Cooperation de MONACO, AMADE Mondiale, the Digital Aid Association, and the American NGO Forgottensong. At the level of national partners, there is the BANCOBU Bank and the Bel Air Hotel, Mr. Joseph Hicuburundi and the Municipality of Matana.

'But we still need a lot of partners especially in regards of infrastructure, but also regarding school fees for our orphans and other vulnerable children from school. The more funds we receive, the more we can give a chance for orphans to attend a good school. “Added Mrs. Nihangaza.

Recall for all practical purposes that the primary objective of this Part of school is to 'help prepare managers and skilled, reputable technicians that the country needs without forgetting the integration of orphans and other vulnerable children to stay in the straight line of the mission FVS- AMADE Burundi.