BUJUMBURA March 1st (ABP) – The draft national qualification and certification framework in Burundi was one of the points analyzed and adopted by the Council of Ministers meeting on Wednesday February 26, 2020 under the presidency of the Head of State, Mr. Pierre Nkurunziza, this was revealed on Friday from a press release from the Secretary General of the Government and government spokesman, Mr. Prosper Ntahorwamiye. He clarified that the national qualification and certification framework is a reference and orientation tool, making it possible to describe and define the training levels of the education system, the conditions of admission as well as the titles issued to the from training. That framework also shows the relationships that exist between the different levels of basic education; post fundamental, higher as well as technical and professional training. Designed on the basis of regional and international references, the national qualification and certification framework encourages lifelong learning and aims to promote education and training adapted to the requirements of the labor market and employment. It also responds to the regional need to harmonize the education systems of the East African community (EAC), of which Burundi is a member. Burundi is the only EAC country that did not have this reference tool.
Another file analyzed and adopted relates to the bill establishing the general state budget for the financial year 2020/2021. According to the press release, the policy of prioritization in the execution of the state budget will be maintained in order to properly control and manage any activity or event involving public spending. At the social level, certain measures will be implemented during this financial year. Thus, in order to continue to support its civil servants, even during retirement, the government will grant a subsidy representing the expenses related to user fees for health care paid by state retirees not covered by the Mutual of the public service. It has been reported that the resources of the general state budget are estimated at 1,415.51 billion BIF compared to 1,327.08 billion BIF for the financial year 2019/2020, an increase of 6.66%. As for expenses, they increased from 1,516.4 billion BIF in 2019/2020 to 1,569.3 billion BIF for the financial year 2020/2021, an increase of 3.4%. The overall deficit thus amounts to 153.8 billion BIF against 189.3 billion BIF, a decrease of 35.5 billion BIF.
The draft law governing the regulatory authority for the capital market in Burundi was also adopted with a few corrections. Indeed, the capital market regulatory authority is set up to protect investors in particular and ensure a fair, efficient and transparent market. Another point analyzed is the decree bill establishing and operating a toponymical standardization steering committee presented by the services of the Second Deputy Presidency of the Republic. Indeed, toponymy is the study of place names in general and geographical names in particular. To name a place is to distinguish it from the others by a precise name to recognize it. The purpose of this project is to comply with the various UN resolutions relating to geographical names, by setting up the toponymical standardization steering committee which will define the strategic guidelines in terms of toponymy. The board adopted it, but has appointed a team to support it in its finalization and the text will also be written in Kirundi.