“Since the start of the school year last September in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a teachers’ strike movement has disrupted the Congolese education system. This situation, which has been going on for several weeks, has caused a wave of concern among students and their families, deprived of classes and educational stability.
In the city of Matadi, hundreds of students from various public schools decided to demonstrate their discontent by organizing a sit-in in front of the Kongo Central governorate. Among the establishments represented were the Lycée Vuvu Kieto and the Londe et Ramazani Institute, thus demonstrating the impact of this strike on the entire school community.
Faced with this mobilization of students, the vice-governor of the province, Prospère Ntela, agreed to meet with them to hear their demands. The young demonstrators thus expressed their urgent desire to resume classes and called for rapid intervention by the authorities to resolve this conflict which deprives them of their fundamental right to education.
At the last meeting of the Council of Ministers, Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka spoke about the worrying situation of calls for strikes in some provinces of the country. Despite a relatively calm start to the school year, marked by an agreement between the government and the teachers’ inter-union, these protest movements persist and threaten the stability of the education system.
Faced with this crisis, the Prime Minister urged the Minister of National Education and Initiation to New Citizenship, Raïssa Malu, to listen and engage in dialogue to find a solution to these legitimate demands. It is crucial that the interests of students and their right to education be placed at the heart of the concerns of the authorities and the striking teachers.
Ultimately, it is essential that all stakeholders engage in constructive and sincere dialogue to ensure a rapid return to normal in Congolese schools. Education is an essential pillar of a country’s development, and it is imperative to preserve this fundamental right for future generations.”