“Make free education a reality”: Catholic Bishop in DR Congo to Government

During the 2019/2020 academic year, President Felix Tshisekedi proclaimed free education throughout the country.

Even though the move has been welcomed by many, the problem of unpaid teachers made its implementation difficult especially in private schools.

For nearly 30 years, parents have been required to contribute to the salaries of teachers in the DRC, a policy that made it difficult for many families to keep their children in school.

The Catholic Church, which owns the majority of schools in DRC is accused of using school managers as a tool to return to parental responsibility for primary education, RDC Infos reported.

In December 2019, Catholic Bishops in DRC indicated that free access to primary education is irreversible and that relevant authorities need to give teachers adequate remuneration to avoid the deterioration of national education.

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On his part, the Archbishop of Kinshasa clarified that the Catholic Church is not opposed to free primary school education. 

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.