Problems and Prospects in the Education of a Marginal Minority: The Case of the Batwa Community in Burundi

Abstract

This article sets out to analyze the educational problems facing the Batwa community of Burundi. After explaining the marginal nature of that community in the Burundian context, the article highlights the Batwa's exclusion from school education, from the colonial era to the present. The article attempts to show that, despite governmental adopted policy and some tangible progress made so far in the schooling of Batwa children, major constraints of a normative, economic, and structural nature do impede real change. The article concludes by making the case that if the Batwa community are to enjoy their full right to education and social participation, concerted action must be undertaken by the state, the churches, and nongovernmental organizations to enhance their general well-being.