Empowering women: Marie Idi Byote stresses the need for girls to take up technical subjects on a massive scale

In observance of Women’s Rights Month in March, Ms. Idi Byote Marie, Director-General of the Directorate of Technical and Vocational Education Administration (DAETP), emphasized the importance of encouraging young women to pursue technical and vocational fields. In an interview with the Communication Management Directorate of the Ministry of National Education and New Citizenship (DGC/EDUC-NC) on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, she encouraged the training of a skilled technical workforce for the development and processing of natural resources in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

"Women must understand that today’s world is based on skills, not physical appearance. The community needs people with solid training to produce concrete results and become financially independent," she explained.

Thus, she calls on all parents to guide their daughters toward technical and vocational education for their empowerment.

“The world is evolving with new technologies, and today, it is more advantageous to have technicians than generalists. Our country is world-renowned for its potential geological wealth. We need female technicians to process our resources, develop the national economy, and build infrastructure,” added Idi Byote Marie.

Introduction of technical education starting in kindergarten In the same vein, Ms. Idi Byote advocated for the introduction of technical and vocational education starting in kindergarten. According to her, it is essential to introduce young students, both girls and boys, to technical trades from a very young age.

"The future lies in our two hands. When we put our two hands together, with technical skills, we can produce and solve any situation. From an early age, students must be prepared to become agents of development, particularly girls," she stated.

 51% of DAETP staff are women To lead by example, the DAETP today celebrated the strong representation of women within its administration, with 51% of its staff being women. This figure demonstrates resilience and commitment, according to Ms. Idi Byote. Willy Kambulu and Marie-France Pala