Raise awareness and promote the education of girls in the Democratic Republic of Congo
The International Day of the Girl, celebrated on October 11, is an opportunity to highlight the importance of schooling for young girls in the Democratic Republic of Congo. To discuss this, we had the opportunity to conduct an exclusive interview with Rose Kibolo Maboko, inspector of the Kintambo secondary pool. She gives us her point of view on the evolution of girls’ education in the country.
According to Ms. Kibolo, schooling allows young Congolese girls to flourish and emancipate themselves. In the past, girls were often limited to household chores and early marriage. Today, thanks to access to education, girls can flourish, work and fight against poverty. This development is made possible in particular thanks to the policy of free primary education launched by the President of the Republic Félix Tshisekedi. As a result, inequalities in access to schooling are largely erased and all girls now have the opportunity to go to school.
However, Ms. Kibolo emphasizes that there is still work to be done to improve the schooling of girls in the DRC. It highlights the importance of primary education as an essential basis and underlines the importance of parents’ awareness. It is essential that parents who have benefited from education also allow their daughters to access school. We must also fight against gender inequalities, both in terms of schooling and in professional life. She particularly highlights the low number of women in positions of responsibility, and calls for greater equality between men and women in all areas.
The International Day of the Girl highlights girls’ right to education, their resilience in the face of obstacles and the importance of their empowerment. It is therefore essential to continue to raise awareness and promote the education of girls in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This will help build a more equitable society and give every girl the same chances of success and fulfillment as boys.