Education in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Displaced student Henriet in her classroom at Manua school near Kindu, Maniema province, Democratic Republic of Congo. Credit: GPE/Elvix Kwanu

Partner since:

Total grant support: US$376,282,928

Grant eligibility:

  • Multiplier
  • Multiplier and Girls' Education Accelerator
  • System capacity
  • System transformation

Education sector plan

Objective: Promote an equitable education system, create the conditions necessary for a quality education system, and improve governance and management of the sector.

Other key documents

Coordinating agency: Ambassade de France

GPE Team lead: Jennifer Hofmann

Transforming education in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Since joining GPE in 2012, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has increased the primary school completion rate from 29% to 70%. Still, many students enrolled in primary school do not complete it, and around one-in-five of primary age children are out of school.

For those in school, 73% are not proficient in reading and 81% are not proficient in math. To unlock large-scale change, DRC is working with GPE and other partners to improve the quality of teachers and teaching.

Better trained and supported teachers – and an increase in the number of female teachers – are expected to enhance the learning environment, boost student performance, and create a more resilient education system.

The DRC aims to improve teachers’ mastery of disciplinary content as well as their ability to support vulnerable students. Additional measures to upgrade the profession include merit-based teacher recruitment, a quality assurance system, and improved social protections to support teacher retirement.

The government and partners are also improving infrastructure and equipment to make schools in the Democratic Republic of Congo a better place for teachers to work and for students to learn.

Result story

Democratic Republic of Congo: New classrooms keep children learning despite crises

  • In the DRC, multiple crises have affected all the regions of the country, impacting access to education for thousands of children.
  • Since 2020, GPE emergency support has helped to rebuild and equip child-friendly schools in eight of the most affected provinces.
  • Thanks to new schools, community sensitization and new learning materials, more than 218,000 children are now learning in better conditions.

Grants

(data as of March 19, 2024)

 
  • Type: System transformation and Girls' Education Accelerator

    Years: 2023 - 2028

    Allocation: US$137,500,000

    Utilization: 0

    Grant agent: AFD, WB

  • Type: System capacity

    Years: 2023 - 2025

    Allocation: US$2,312,037

    Utilization: 0

    Grant agent: UNESCO

  • Type: Program development

    Years: 2023 - 2024

    Allocation: US$200,000

    Utilization: 0

    Grant agent: AFD

  • Type: System capacity

    Years: 2021 - 2025

    Allocation: US$760,000

    Utilization: US$747,567

    Grant agent: UNESCO

Civil society engagement

As part of its investment in civil society advocacy and social accountability efforts, GPE’s Education Out Loud fund is supporting:

  • The Coalition Nationale de l'éducation pour tous en République Démocratique du Congo (CONEPT DRC) for the 2020-2023 period. This builds on previous support from the Civil Society Education Fund (CSEF).
  • The Centre de Recherche sur l'Anti-Corruption for the 2022-2024 period.
  • The Adolescent Mothers’ Education Initiative (AMEI) led by World Vision UK for the 2021-2024 period.

Learn more

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