The press article addresses the news of free primary and basic education in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since 2019, President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi has committed to implementing this measure, despite the challenges encountered such as the lack of adequate school infrastructure.
According to Unicef, nearly 3 million children were able to enroll in school for the year 2022-2023. However, this progress is marred by the decision of the provincial government of Kongo Central to break down the school fees to be paid by parents for the following year.
This sparked reactions of discontent from the population. School fees for nursery education have been set at 54,000 FC (Congolese Franc) for the first trimester, while for humanities, they vary between 77,000 FC and 87,000 FC.
The spokesperson for the central Kongo teachers’ union, Simon Nsilulu, emphasizes that this government decision risks leading to significant school dropout. Parents, for their part, express their frustration at this significant increase compared to the previous school year.
Some Internet users believe that the provincial governor was not transparent in his communication with the population and that this decision could have consequences on his upcoming electoral campaign.
It is crucial to note that free primary and basic education is a major issue for access to education in the DRC, and that it is essential to find solutions to guarantee its implementation in optimal conditions.
In conclusion, the establishment of free education in the DRC is an important step forward, but it must be accompanied by concrete measures to ensure the quality of education and reduce additional costs imposed on parents. It is essential that national and provincial authorities commit to finding lasting solutions for the education of Congolese children.