In the troubled regions of Beni and Lubero, located in North Kivu, children’s education is increasingly compromised by the persistence of armed conflicts. During the recent celebration of International Children’s Rights Day, Joel Kabuya, senior supervisor of the Children’s Parliament in Beni, warned of the major challenges children face in accessing quality education.
Despite the establishment of free basic education, many obstacles persist, particularly due to forced displacement caused by the prevailing insecurity. This reality is dangerously disrupting the learning conditions of children in this region. Joel Kabuya stresses the urgency for the Government to restore peace in order to ensure effective respect for the fundamental rights of the child.
It is alarming to note that, despite the legal provisions guaranteeing the right to education, many schools in the east of the country are facing major difficulties. Massive population displacements, caused by the occupation of regions by armed groups, deprive many children of their fundamental right to education.
This year, a large number of children have been deprived of their right to education, whether they remained in their regions of origin or were displaced to other host areas. Even though free primary education is theoretically guaranteed, challenges persist, particularly regarding the geographical accessibility of schools. Joel Kabuya highlights the fact that classroom sizes far exceed recommendations, with damaging consequences on the quality of learning, particularly for children traumatized by years of conflict.
At this critical time, it is essential to recall the crucial importance of ensuring a safe and conducive environment for the education of children in war situations. Education is an inalienable right, and it is the collective responsibility of all actors, including the Congolese government, to ensure that no child is deprived of this fundamental opportunity to build a better future.
Joel Kabuya’s voice resonates as a call to action, an urgent invitation to work together to overcome obstacles and offer the children of Beni and Lubero, as well as all children in conflict situations, the opportunity to receive a quality education, thus ensuring the protection and promotion of their fundamental rights.