** Education crisis in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo: a call for resilience **
In the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the educational situation comes up against many challenges, exacerbated by the armed conflict and the territorial control of groups like the AFC/m23. This complexity does not only affect students but also teachers who find themselves in disturbing precariousness. Several voices are rising, notably in Masisi, Nyiragongo, Walikale and Rutshuru, where teachers’ salaries, usually managed by Caritas, have been pending for several months.
The consequences of this situation are not to be taken lightly. Schools like that of Mwanga, in Goma, testify to a return of students in the classes after a period of forced travel. However, teachers, like Ndole Batundi in the Mosque district of Saké, face Crippling financial difficulties, which implies a direct impact on their ability to teach and support their family. The poignant testimony of Ndole Batundi reminds us that education, beyond being a right, also depends on the dignity and well-being of individuals who carry it.
The Kibona Institute, a Protestant conventionally convenient school, also illustrates the increased challenges that the schools must face. To compensate for the suspension of wages, costs are now required by parents, putting additional pressure on families already weakened by the cycle of violence. The director of the school, Mapenzi James, evokes a forced recruitment of teachers’ commitment for the school year, thus leaving the shadow of an dependence on education on uncertain funding.
** A paralyzed educational functioning **
Beyond teachers’ salaries, the lack of financial resources also has repercussions on the very functioning of establishments. School directors are often in a difficult position, pushed to improvise to keep open schools. This phenomenon raises questions about the mechanisms of financing education in a context of conflict. How can resources be better allocated and secure, even in unstable territories? And what can we say about promises of support often not held, when education remains a priority in the development of a country?
Faced with these realities, Caritas has announced that it is in discussions with the authorities of Kinshasa to try to unlock the situation. The slowness of responses and actions can arouse legitimate frustrations within the educational community. However, this late response raises the question of long -term intervention and support strategies in areas affected by violence.
** Proposals and reflections for the future **
In this disturbed context, several tracks could be considered to improve the situation. Strengthening school resilience by diversified and secure financing mechanisms could make it possible to better resist the shocks caused by conflicts. Donors, local and international NGOs, as well as governments, could consider partnerships based on the systematization of aid, to prevent schools from becoming dependent on the fluctuations in the security context.
In addition, the establishment of a multipartite dialogue involving teachers, parents, local authorities and civil society organizations could help restore confidence and co-build solutions adapted to local realities. By promoting a community approach, actors could develop resilient education strategies, focused on the needs of students and teachers.
**Conclusion**
The current crisis in education in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo underlines the importance of not only seeing the negative aspects, but also to seek collective solutions. Education, pillar of human development, deserves concerted action to protect the rights of children to learn and to support teachers who play a crucial role in this dynamic. It is a call to the international community, local authorities and civil society to act together and request resilience in the face of these difficult circumstances. Beyond conflicts, it is essential to keep in mind that each student has a potential that deserves to be cultivated, even in adversities.