Education and gender: the FAWE and LARTES-IFAN report reveals the interactions that hinder girls' access, retention and success at school

The Forum of African Women Educationalists (FAWE) consortium and the Laboratory for Research on Economic and Social Transformations (LARTES-IFAN) at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, Senegal, have published a report on their study of gender promotion in schools across several African countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In the country of Lumumba, the study focused on two cities: Kinshasa and Kananga in Central Kasai. Data was collected between May and July 2023. Experts from the Directorate of Life Skills Education and the Partnership Directorate of the General Secretariat of the EPST participated in the study as resource persons. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative data collection tools. For the quantitative component, it administered 96 questionnaires to students and 100 questionnaires to parents. For the qualitative component, it conducted 45 semi-structured interviews, 6 life narratives, and 6 focus groups. The study’s results show some significant progress and reveal weaknesses that require institutional and holistic interventions, in collaboration with all educational partners, to turn the situation around in favor of girls’ education. Significant progress recorded In terms of progress, the study notes that:

Parents (76%) are primarily responsible for their children’s education, particularly that of girls. More than two-thirds of the students surveyed reported receiving support or guidance at home for their studies (76.9% of boys and 66.7% of girls);
Teaching practices are becoming increasingly gender-sensitive. In fact, 81.6% of students believe that teachers do not show favoritism. All students surveyed, both girls and boys, feel free to express themselves in class. This reflects the equal treatment of students by teachers.
Reducing inequalities in the division of household chores. The surveyed students, both girls and boys (78.6%), stated that they are all involved in these tasks in the sense that they perform household chores.

Girls continue to handle the lion’s share of household chores; ; However, the study highlights that concrete efforts must be made to address the identified shortcomings, such as:

The level of active participation in class is high among boys. Girls still feel inhibited.
The unequal social distribution of household chores remains prevalent. Dishwashing and cooking are the girls’ responsibility. In contrast, laundry and other household chores are reserved for boys. Moreover, a higher percentage of boys (60%) believe that these chores negatively affect their academic performance, compared to 44.4% of girls. The reality remains, however, harsher for girls, who continue to handle the lion’s share of household chores.
The school environment is still not safe or inclusive. 66.7% of the girls surveyed do not use their school’s restrooms because they are not clean. Similarly, 20% of boys and 33.3% of girls have witnessed or been victims of gender-based violence during their school years.
Cultural attitudes that are unfavorable toward girls remain prevalent. According to the testimonies of the girls interviewed, it is primarily uncles/aunts (36.4%) or grandparents (27.3%) who are most opposed to their schooling.

In light of these findings, a call is being made to incorporate a gender perspective into educational programs by building teachers’ capacity in gender-sensitive pedagogy, as well as to increase girls’ participation in empowerment clubs to promote their leadership and academic success. The study further notes the need to strengthen communication and awareness campaigns and to promote synergistic action among programs promoting girls’ education in the DRC. The EPST promotes gender equality through several programs The EPST welcomes this study, which aligns with its strategy for girls’ education developed and validated in 2015. Indeed, the study, which received support from the Ministry of EPST, reinforces the sub-sector’s reform aimed at making schools a safe and inclusive environment where all forms of violence, particularly GBV, must be eliminated and where girls’ enrollment is encouraged. This is, moreover, clearly stated in the 2016–2025 sectoral strategy for education and training, specifically in its first pillar on access and equity. Several provinces, notably the former Grand Equateur, Kasaï Central, and Kasaï, have been the focus of awareness-raising efforts on girls’ education and training on the prevention of GBV in schools, thanks to the Basic Education Support Project (PROSEB 2013–2015) and the Education Quality Improvement Project (PAQUE 2016–2020). In 2021, teachers and principals of public primary schools in ten target provinces of the Project for Equity and Strengthening of the Education System (PERSE 2019–2024) signed a pledge to adhere to the code of conduct for teaching staff. To promote safe and inclusive schools, the EPST has established a complaint management mechanism, with a toll-free number, “178.”

Read the FINAL REPORT GN DRC here

Thierry Mbebangu, Ariane Zengula, and Fleury Dala.

Education and gender: the FAWE and LARTES-IFAN report reveals the interactions that hinder girls' access, retention and success at school

Browse all publications

Science and Technology Week: the Ministry of Education mobil...

Pool secondaire Limete 2: descriptive geometry training for...

At a meeting with IG Hubert Kimbonza, education experts stre...

North Kivu 2: a batch of 2025-2026 school reports already av...

MINEDU-NC and WFP accelerate the operationalization of schoo...

PAAF: more than 1,000 girls from Lycée Disanka identified fo...