By RFPosted on 30-08-2019Modified on 30-08-2019 at 08:54
Some public schools are overwhelmed by new enrollments of students a few days before the start of the school year in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Relieved by the introduction of free primary education advocated by the new president Felix Tshisekedi, many Kinshasa parents flock to public schools to enroll their children.
In this public school, right in the city center, parents line up to register their children. A few hours before the start of classes, Kipanzou Levy, registration officer, faces an unprecedented situation:
" We are really crowded , there is no more room (even though) we are trying to integrate a few students, so that there are really more students who can attend " our school, explains us there.
Despite the influx of parents, the school does not intend to exceed the regulatory staff. " We can not go beyond our numbers. What we are really asking the state to do is to do what is necessary to increase other facilities to accommodate other students . "
Parents hope to stop paying fees in public schools, which should save Lolo the $ 900 she spent each year on her son. " If you see us coming to enroll our children here, it's because it's free and the teaching is good. In private institutions, I paid 900 dollars each year, it was difficult for me, but with this free, it will help me a lot .
By ensuring this free education, the new government intends to reduce the rate of children deprived of education because of poverty, which affects more than half of the population.
Back to school is Monday, September 2nd. But of the nearly 52,000 public schools surveyed, only about 31,000 are budgeted. Some 20,800 schools are still waiting to be supported by the government which has promised to introduce free public facilities.
On the same subject
Schools in the DRC: parents are reimbursed for tuition
DRC: free education facing the challenge of financing
DRC: towards free primary and secondary education?
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