Educational reforms in the DRC: Workshop in Mbanza Ngungu to draw up the Humanités Pédagogiques Rénovées (HPR) teaching guides

As part of efforts to reform the education system in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), emphasis is being placed on the development of teaching guides for the transitional program of the Renewed Pedagogical Humanities (HPR). To this end, a workshop has been underway since May 19 in Mbanza Ngungu, in the province of Kongo Central. Organized by the Ministry of National Education with support from UNESCO, this work by experts and professionals in the education sector is part of the EFFICACE project. It aims to finalize these teaching guides while taking into account the specific realities of the various regions of the DRC. This effort represents a crucial step toward ensuring the effective implementation of this reform, which aims to improve the quality of education across the country. Objectives of the teaching guides The teaching guides will provide a structured framework for teachers, making instruction more accessible and tailored to students’ needs. The main objectives of the guides include: - Covering five essential areas: - Teaching and learning, languages, sciences, social studies and the environment, personal development, and the arts. These areas are fundamental to the structure of the HPR curriculum. - Standardizing teaching practices: By ensuring that content is taught consistently across the country, which will contribute to greater educational coherence. - Facilitating methodological understanding: These guides will help teachers better understand the program’s objectives and expectations, thereby improving student preparation. Participants in this workshop include inspectors from the Ministry as well as professors from renowned universities such as Pierre Mukendi and Henri Ingwa Lofinda from UNIKIN, and Dominique Ndandula from UPN, not to mention Professor Flavien Muzuluba from Saint Dominique University. Several Heads of Department are also taking part in this work, namely Director Odon Mulanda Kimpembe of the National Directorate of Academic and Career Guidance, Director Jacky Basolua of the Directorate of Special Education, and Mr. Jean Jeef Mwanza, Head of Department at the Directorate of Communication Management. Under the supervision of Ms. Betty Matondo Mbanunu, Coordinator of the EFFICACE project, these experts will contribute their expertise to ensure that the guides are not only pedagogically sound but also adapted to local contexts. Ivan-Honoré Mudiangombe