DINACOPE: Towards effective modernization of the Teacher Payroll Information System

The teacher payroll information system, managed by the National Directorate for Payroll Preparation and Staffing Management for Teachers and Administrative Personnel (DINACOPE), plays a crucial role in human resources management within the education sector. Despite its importance, malfunctions and shortcomings have been identified, particularly regarding data reliability and interoperability with other systems. In response to these challenges, the Ministry of National Education and New Citizenship organized a workshop in Kinshasa from February 7 to 18, 2025, to assess the current state of the system. This work was accompanied by recommendations for its improvement. The objectives were: - To conduct an in-depth assessment of the teacher payroll information system; - To analyze current payroll management processes; - Identifying shortcomings and proposing both technological and organizational solutions. These efforts also aim to strengthen collaboration among the various stakeholders and to develop a roadmap for optimizing the system based on the recommendations resulting from this 12-day workshop. A Renewed Commitment by the Ministry to Effective Management; ; This work provided an opportunity to strengthen the collective commitment to more effective and transparent management of the Congolese education system, according to Deputy Minister of National Education Jean-Pierre Kezamudru, who closed the workshop. “This work was carried out in accordance with the strategic guidelines of the 2024–2029 Five-Year Plan initiated by the Minister of State, Minister of National Education and New Citizenship. The integration of information and communication technologies into education governance is no longer an option, but an urgent necessity to ensure decision-making based on reliable and accessible data,” he emphasized. Furthermore, DINACOPE Director Boniface Mbaka promised to migrate DINACOPE to a more suitable technological system to meet teachers’ needs. He specifically mentioned a biometric card that will serve not only administrative purposes but also as an electronic wallet for teachers working in hard-to-reach areas. “It is in this vein that we will integrate many parameters that were previously missing to satisfy teachers, who are our target audience, because we work for them. Thanks to this transition, we will implement a biometric card that will serve not only administrative purposes but also as a digital wallet—essentially an electronic payroll system—especially for hard-to-reach areas. “With this technological tool, teachers will no longer have to wait long; they will receive their salaries in real time as soon as this system is implemented,” he stated. A fast and secure way to get teachers their pay For his part, the acting secretary general of the National Union of Catholic Teachers (SYNECATH), Nzeza Jean-Deny, expressed his satisfaction, noting that the workshop had finally produced resolutions aimed at improving the teacher payroll information system in our sub-sector. “With the reliability resulting from this meeting, we are confident that the salary budget allocated to teachers will be accurate, which will help bridge the significant gap in funding for new units and unpaid salaries,” he said. It is important to note that the workshop brought together various experts from the national education subsector, including representatives from the minister’s office, DINACOPE, DANTIC, and the labor unions, as well as external experts in information systems. Célestin Zeula and Chouquette Bombula