Edu-nc: No casualties among students and teachers after barbaric attacks on schools in Kinshasa-Plateau

On Monday, October 30, a disturbance caused by unidentified individuals disrupted school activities at several schools in the Kinshasa-Plateau educational province, including the Formatec School Complex in Bibwa, the CBCO School, and the Maman Sifa School in Kinkole. According to information gathered by the Communication Management Directorate of the Ministry of National Education (DGC), a group of bandits, commonly known as “kulunas,” supported by certain union members with unclear motives, reportedly targeted several schools with the aim of sabotaging the start of the school year, which had otherwise been proceeding smoothly up to that point. Alerted by these events, many parents went to the schools to pick up their children. Faced with this situation, the provincial director of Kinshasa-Plateau, Robert Mogumu, took immediate action: “I ordered school principals to close the gates and keep the students on campus until noon. I also requested the intervention of law enforcement,” he told the DGC. Following this incident, an investigation was launched to shed light on these acts of vandalism and compile a detailed report. An emergency meeting was held at the Marie Immaculée school complex in Plaza, bringing together parents, school administrators, principals, union representatives, and teachers. At the conclusion of this meeting, it was confirmed that no students had lost their lives. The provincial director issued a warning to members of the union coalition involved in these disturbances. “I remind Jean Bosco Puna and Jean Tunda that the school is not a playground for settling scores. If such behavior occurs again, I will file a complaint against them.” A mother of a student, interviewed in the Bibwa neighborhood, emphasized the importance of securing school facilities. “Schools must be fenced to ensure the safety of our children,” she explained when questioned by the DGC. Thierry Mbebangu