Butembo: the start of the new school term goes ahead on Tuesday, with strict adherence to Ebola prevention measures

Butembo, August 30^th, 2026 (CPA).- The start of the 2026–2027 school year is maintained on Tuesday, September 1st, in Butembo, Nord-Kivu, in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in line with the rest of the country, whilst strictly adhering to Ebola prevention measures to protect pupils, a school official has reassured on Saturday, following a meeting with head teachers. “The start of the 2026–2027 school year is unusual due to the Ebola-related public health emergency we are currently facing. It was therefore essential to advice head teachers on the measures they should take. We have asked them to do everything possible to equip their schools with prevention kits. This involves installing hand-washing stations supplied with soap at the entrances to schools and in every classroom to ensure regular hand washing. They must also make infrared thermometers available to take children’s temperatures, as a high fever is one of the major symptoms of this disease,” has declared James Vavughaghe, head of the provincial education sub-division in the town of Butembo 1. On this occasion, the education authority has urged parents to finalise preparations for the start of the new term by providing their children with school supplies, whilst ensuring that health guidelines are followed within the home. “We are asking parents to provide their children with the necessary school materials and to send them to school from this Tuesday, September 1st, as lessons will begin in accordance with the timetable issued by our ministry. The protective measures in place at school must also be observed at home. This disease must not only be tackled in schools, but within all our communities, starting with families,” he has continued. Meanwhile, there has been little rush at Butembo’s central market to buy school supplies. When interviewed by CPA, a few sellers of standard school items have indicated that parents are still unsure whether the new term will actually begin this Tuesday, concerned about the resurgence of the Ebola virus, for which the city of Butembo is currently considered the epicentre in Nord-Kivu.