In the province of Kwilu, located in the Democratic Republic of Congo, public sector teachers encounter insurmountable difficulties accessing their salaries via banks. Indeed, for several years, the government has established a banking system to allow teachers to receive their salaries in a more secure and transparent manner. However, this laudable initiative faces many obstacles, particularly in rural areas of the province.
While banking proves effective in urban centers such as Bandundu or Kikwit, teachers working in remote areas experience major difficulties in receiving their salaries. The latter are forced to travel long distances to get to the provincial capital where the bank branches are located, due to a lack of locally accessible banking services.
Fitila Mbey, president of the Kwilu 1 teachers’ union, expresses his dissatisfaction with this worrying situation. He points out that some teachers have to spend an entire week to go to the administrative center, collect their dues, then return to their workplace, due to lack of adequate means of transport. The costs incurred by these trips, representing almost half of their monthly salary, constitute an unbearable financial burden for these teachers already subject to precarious conditions.
Furthermore, Jean Pierre Kasonga, provincial chief inspector of education, recognizes the urgency of action to resolve this problem. He assures that measures are underway to alleviate this situation and guarantee the smooth running of educational activities in the province of Kwilu. However, it is necessary that concrete solutions be quickly put in place to avoid further disruption of the school calendar and compromising the quality of education provided to students.
In conclusion, the issue of banking teachers’ salaries in Kwilu province raises major issues in terms of financial accessibility and professional equity. It is imperative that the relevant authorities take effective measures to ensure fair and secure access to teachers’ salaries, as teachers play a crucial role in the development of education and Congolese society as a whole.