Kinshasa, October 5th, 2026 (CPA).- The government’s commitment to improving the learning environment for pupils in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was reaffirmed on Monday by the Minister of National Education and New Citizenship during the closing ceremony of the project to improve access to and the quality of primary education in N’Sele 1 and N’Sele 2, in Kinshasa, the country’s capital.
“Our responsibility now is to ensure that this achievement translates into effective learning, improved conditions for receiving pupils, as well as continued efforts on teaching resources, teachers’ practices, supervision and support for pupils experiencing difficulties,” said Raïssa Malu, Minister of National Education and New Citizenship. “This closing session provided an opportunity to review the achievements and results. In this regard, the project has made a concrete contribution to several of its priorities. First, it linked access to quality, while free primary education promoted by His Excellency the President of the Republic, Head of State, has considerably expanded access to school,” she continued. According to her, “There are several strong areas of convergence between our respective priorities. I am thinking in particular of teachers’ professional development and pedagogical supervision, the digital transformation of education, from the classroom to system management, the responsible use of artificial intelligence, as well as strengthening science and technology and technical education at secondary level.” For his part, John Agbor, UNICEF Representative in the DRC, explained that the project had contributed to strengthening teaching and learning for children. “Thanks to this project, many children now have spaces better suited to their needs. Beyond infrastructure, the project has helped strengthen teaching and learning for children and equip them with fundamental skills that they will need throughout their lives (…) behind every classroom that has been built or rehabilitated, behind every strengthened educational activity, there are thousands of children who now have a chance to learn, succeed and build their future,” he stressed. The UNICEF Representative in the DRC recalled that more than seven (7) million dollars had been invested in the project, describing this as evidence of solidarity with Congolese children on the part of the Republic of Korea and KOICA.
Regular support for schools recommended to ensure project sustainability
Meanwhile, Woosung Lee, President of RISTIS, a South Korea-based research institute focusing on future strategies, recommended regular support for schools to ensure the sustainability of the project. “How can we make the results of this project sustainable? (…) To sustain these results, schools will need regular support, clearly defined management responsibilities and data that can be used to determine support priorities,” he emphasized. “Through KOICA’s performance management, we have seen measures implemented concerning infrastructure and school kits. A sustainable environment will be needed to strengthen teachers’ capacities,” he added. The project to improve access to and the quality of primary education in N’Sele 1 and N’Sele 2, known as the “KOICA Project,” is a joint program of the Ministry of National Education and New Citizenship, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). It was launched in October 2022 for a period of 36 months, with funding of seven (7) million US dollars.