Fatshimetrie, September 5, 2024 – In a doctoral thesis recently defended at the University of Kinshasa (UNIKIN), an in-depth analysis was conducted on the impact of education, savings and poverty in the Kongo-Central province of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The author of this thesis, Gloire Mansesa Kiakumba, stressed that the objective of her study was to assess how education influences household savings management and, consequently, their level of poverty. Primary data collected during a survey of 400 households in the cities of Matadi, Boma, Kimpese and Mbanza-Ngungu were at the heart of her analysis.
The results significantly demonstrated that education has a positive impact on household savings behavior, helping to reduce the proportion of the population in poverty by 20%. However, it is alarming to note that 77.2% of parents do not invest enough in their children’s education, which is detrimental to the quality of education and results in difficulties during national examinations.
Lack of access to education pushes nearly 58% of students to be deprived of their right to education due to their family’s inability to pay school fees. In addition, the study highlights the low level of savings in Kongo-Central, with the majority of households not saving in the formal sector, preferring to keep nearly USD 14,000 at home due to lack of trust in financial institutions.
Gloire Mansesa’s recommendations call for better management of agricultural inputs to increase the income of rural populations and thus fight poverty. It also highlights the need to encourage households to place their savings in formal or semi-formal structures in order to ensure adequate protection of their savings.
Furthermore, investing in education and training for young people, strengthening the agricultural sector and promoting entrepreneurship are key measures to improve employment prospects and increase people’s incomes. Raising household awareness of the importance of savings, combating inflation and economic instability are all challenges that the Congolese State will have to tackle.
Finally, promoting collaboration between educational institutions and putting in place incentives to encourage savings and responsible investment are essential to ensure a brighter future for the inhabitants of Kongo-Central. The recognition of the work accomplished by Gloire Mansesa by the award of a doctorate in economic sciences with “high distinction” underlines the importance of her research for the future of the region.
The thesis defended at the University of Kinshasa paves the way for concrete policies and actions aimed at improving the living conditions of vulnerable populations and promoting sustainable economic development in the province of Kongo-Central.