Fatshimetrie: The sad reality of school excursions in Kasai-Oriental
In the heart of Kasai-Oriental, the province was shaken by a tragic drama on November 30 at the Tshala hydroelectric power station, in the Katanda territory. A school excursion that turned into a nightmare, costing the lives of several students, swept away by the impetuous waters of the river. In this torment, the authorities had to take radical decisions to try to ease the pain and prevent new tragedies.
On December 2, a circular issued by the provincial Minister of National Education and New Citizenship, Nico Muamba Nkamba, sealed the fate of school excursion activities throughout the province. A temporary suspension, but necessary, while waiting for concrete measures to be taken to guarantee the safety of students during such outings.
Saint-Léon College, directly involved in this terrible adventure, was forced to put an end to its school activities, out of sadness and guilt. Parents received clear instructions: keep their children at home, while waiting for serenity to return to schools and homes.
The events of November 30 will remain forever etched in memories, with the memory of missing students swept away by the waves. Among them, Giresse Tshibemba Mukendi, Mbiya Tshimanga Ephraim, Tshisekedi Mbuyi, and Ngabu Kajingu, whose names resonate today as an eternal tribute to their broken youth.
The search continues, while waiting to find the two students still missing, in order to allow their families to mourn and honor their memory.
The decision of the provincial authorities to interrupt school excursions aims to protect the tranquility of the school environment and families, weakened by this painful ordeal. A necessity to heal the wounds and ensure a climate of trust and security within the schools of Kasaï-Oriental.
In this time of mourning and reconstruction, the school community and families are holding each other close, supporting each other in the face of adversity. The lessons learned from this tragedy should serve as a guide for the future, so that never again does a school excursion turn into a nightmare.
In tribute to the lives lost, in memory of the smiles erased too soon, Kasaï-Oriental is rising, more united than ever, to overcome this ordeal and rebuild a future marked by security and prevention in the face of the dangers that threaten our children, our future.