Free public primary education: the Government grants 10 million FC in operating costs to official reference schools ( Félix Tshisekedi)

The Head of State delivered his State of the Nation address on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, before a joint session of Parliament. Addressing the topic of "education," Félix Tshisekedi welcomed the improvement in teachers’ working and professional conditions. To support his remarks, he highlighted several major initiatives undertaken under his leadership to ensure the smooth operation of primary schools as part of the consolidation of free public primary education, which he enacted in 2019. "First, the adjustment of operating costs for primary schools, which led to an increase from 45,000 FC to 200,000 FC for schools with one to eleven classes, representing a 344% increase. 420,190 Congolese francs for schools with 12 to 18 classes, representing an 834% increase. 620,190 Congolese francs for schools with 19 or more classes, representing a 1,278% increase. 2,450,000 Congolese francs for prestigious schools, representing a 5,344% increase. Next, the allocation of 10,000,000 FC as operating expenses to each official reference school. And finally, the extension of free education to consular primary schools through the allocation of 7,000,000 FC as operating expenses. All these measures have increased the monthly budget for teachers’ salaries from 70,154,552,544 FC to 236,794,289,695 Congolese FC, representing a 238% increase. According to the President of the Republic, the effective implementation of free education during his first five-year term has made it possible to bring more than 5,000,000 school-age students back into the system, who were previously excluded due to a lack of financial means. As a result, student enrollment rose from 16,809,413 in 2018 to 25,752,955 in 2023. He concluded by stating that the implementation of free basic education is undeniably a great success. Michaella Kiasungwa