Kinshasa, November 17th, 2025 (CPA).- The Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo announced on Sunday the nationalization of the ‘Excellantia Program’, a scholarship initiative led by the First Lady, and introduced an eligibility criterion of 80%, according to a press release.
‘This program, which was a pioneering initiative, is now becoming a national policy, included in the state budget,’ said Judith Suminwa, Congolese Prime Minister, quoted in a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office. ‘This transformation into public policy aims to institutionalize the promotion of academic excellence among Congolese youth and is directly in line with the objectives of the Government’s 2024-2028 Action Program, in particular its fourth pillar aimed at “Guaranteeing access to basic social services” by improving the education system,’ the source said. According to the Congolese Head of Government quoted by the source, « this decision is in line with the vision of President Félix Tshisekedi, who places human capital at the heart of government action and operationalizes a strategic axis of the Government Action Program 2024-2028 (PAG 2024-2028), which aims to “build an education system that contributes effectively to national development, citizenship and the promotion of work ethics”.
« According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, which cited a video of the Prime Minister broadcast on national media and social networks, the stated objective is to make excellence a right accessible to all deserving Congolese students, rather than a privilege. ‘This policy aims to train a committed and patriotic youth, presented as the indispensable pillar for the future and survival of the nation, thus responding directly to the Government’s roadmap, which aims to continue the establishment of an efficient, inclusive and equitable education system,’ added the Head of Government, quoted by the source.
The nationalized program therefore aims to promote merit, reward effort and support talent, in line with the actions identified by the Government, such as the reformulation of school curricula to include entrepreneurship and citizenship, and the construction of specialized schools to promote equal opportunities. CPA/