| By law, all Congolese have the right to education,
and primary education is free and compulsory. This official requirement
is not strictly enforced, however, because many areas do not have enough
schools. In the early 1990s, fewer than 50% of school-age children were
enrolled in primary and secondary schools, including 58% of school-age
boys and 39% of girls. Only 5 out of every 100 girls finish their schooling.
Primary education begins at six years of age and lasts for six years. It is divided into three two-year stages: elementary, middle and terminal. The academic year runs from September to July. Primary grades are taught in Kikongo, Tshiluba, Lingala or Swahili. French is the official language of instruction in secondary and higher education, although most people do not have a working knowledge of the language. Attempts to introduce French into the primary schools have not been successful. |
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| Secondary education, which is not compulsory, starts at twelve years of age and continues for up to six years. It consists of a two-year orientation cycle, followed by a four-year upper cycle. The upper cycle provides two options: a long humanities cycle or a short vocational cycle. To receive a diploma, a secondary school student must pass a nationwide examination. Remote rural schools are poorly equipped in comparison to urban schools, and many students from rural areas are not able to pass the diploma exam. The school system includes both state schools and government-subsidized schools established by religious organizations. About 70% of these schools are run by the Roman Catholic Church. There are also a few private schools, all of them Roman Catholic institutions. | |||
| The three state universities are located in Kinshasa,
Kisangani and Lubumbashi. Congo also has an Institute of Agronomy in Yangambi,
near Kisangani, several private universities and a number of specialized
institutes of higher education. Following a riot at the University of Lubumbashi
in 1991 in which ten people were killed, almost all institutes of higher
learning were closed. Many reopened in 1992, but sessions have been sporadic
since then.
Because of Congo's economic problems, teachers' salaries are extremely low and teachers often remain unpaid for months. Pupils in public schools often bring money, or some other form of payment, such as food, to school to pay for their instruction. Schools are without basic supplies, and libraries have empty shelves. Trained teachers are in short supply. Less than one-quarter of primary school teachers have diplomas. Poor funding and deteriorating standards have led to student demonstrations and teacher strikes. |
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