Kinshasa - 19 Apr 2010 -
With only five years to go, Congo is far from reaching the Millennium Development Goal of primary education for all by 2015— with nearly half of Congolese children (more than 3 million) still estimated to be out of school and one in three having never stepped into a classroom.1
Universal primary education is one of the key Millennium Development Goals and identified as a priority by the Congolese government, yet funding for education programs remains extremely limited.
“International and government investment in Congo’s education sector is grossly insufficient,” says Ciaran Donnelly, Regional Director for the International Rescue Committee in Congo. “If we continue with a business as usual approach, basic education will remain an impossible dream for millions of Congolese children.”
According to the Congolese government, international donors invested just $150 million in education in 2007 and 2008—only 5% of all foreign assistance to Congo.2 That amounts to $2 annually in foreign aid for every primary school age child, compared to $19 per Afghan child.3 Meanwhile, the Congolese government fell short of reaching its own pledge to allocate 16% of its national budget in 2008 to education, allocating only 8%.4 Doubling that would bring the country in line with the Sub Saharan average.
“We cannot talk of peace, economic development and a future for the Democratic Republic of Congo if the government and donors do not commit in investing in education - the bedrock of human advancement,” says Carl Becker, Save the Children’s Country Director in Congo.
Congo’s education system is largely supported by school fees and that means poor Congolese families, with an average of six children, struggle to keep their kids in school. Monthly fees can amount to $5 per child and a normal wage is about $50 a month. As a result, drop-out rates are high. Half of children who enter first grade never finish primary school.
In a war-torn country like Congo, where close to two million people are displaced, education also provides protection.
“Keeping children in school is an important measure to protect children from violence and abuse and give normality to thousands of displaced children,” says Ulrika Blom-Mondlane, Country Director for Norwegian Refugee Council in Congo.
“Without adequate funding for the education sector, the quality of education in Congo will continue to suffer.” says Jennifer Poidatz, Country Representative for Catholic Relief Services (CRS). “We know that lack of funding prevents the systematic, essential teacher training and support needed to ensure quality learning.”
In order to increase enrollment and completion of primary education, lighten the financial burden on poor communities and move closer to meeting the Millennium Development Goals on education, Catholic Relief Services, International Rescue Committee, Norwegian Refugee Council and Save the Children urge the Congolese government to double its budget for education to 16%. The groups also call on the international community to significantly increase foreign aid spending on Congo’s education sector to support multi-year nationwide programs.
Press contacts:
Marit Glad, International Rescue Committee, +243 (0)995 200 020, Marit.glad@theirc.org
Ulrika Blom-Mondlane, Norwegian Refugee Council, +243 (0)381 086 9030, countrydirector@nrcdrc.org
Carl Becker, Save the Children UK, +243 (0)999 905 081, c.becker@savethechildren.org.uk
Lane Hartill, Catholic Relief Services, +221 77 529 8745, lhartill@waro.crs.org
1 According to a national survey conducted by the Congolese ministry of planning and reconstruction, 31% of children between six and 11 have never attended school (Enquête nationale sur la situation des enfants et des femmes: MICS2/2001, Ministre du plan et de la reconstruction).
2 Ministry of Planning, Overview of Foreign Aid, March 2009.
3 UNESCO, Education for all monitoring report 2010, p.241.
4 World Bank, DRC Public Expenditure Review, 2008.
Learn More
IRC Fact Sheet: Education in the Democratic Republic of Congo (April 2010)
