GPE-RDC partnership: Jennifer Hofmann in Kinshasa to launch the mid-term review of the Partnership Pact

On an official mission to Kinshasa from April 14 to 18, Ms. Jennifer Hofmann, Country Engagement Lead for the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Secretariat, began a series of meetings with key stakeholders in the education sector. The objective of this mission: to assess progress on the enabling conditions and trigger indicators for the additional allocation, and to officially launch the mid-term review of the Partnership Pact, approved in 2022. This Partnership Pact, the result of collaboration between GPE, the Congolese government, and technical and financial partners, focuses on “Quality Teachers and Quality Education.” During her visit, Ms. Hofmann held discussions with the relevant ministries—Education, Finance, and Civil Service—as well as with implementing partners, notably the Education Promotion Fund. She reaffirmed the GPE’s commitment to supporting the transformation of the Congolese education system.

“I am leading this mission on behalf of the Global Partnership for Education to launch the mid-term review of the Partnership Pact, which focuses primarily on strengthening teachers’ competencies to improve learning,” she stated.

She also emphasized the importance of this mission in assessing the level of funding and disbursement for ongoing projects:

“This is also an opportunity to assess the funding allocated to the transformation of the education system, implemented notably by the AFD and the World Bank through the Efficace and PEQIP projects.”

In this context, a working session was held on Thursday, April 17, 2025, in the meeting room of the Primary Education Quality Improvement Project (PEQIP). This meeting provided an opportunity to review the progress of funding dedicated to strengthening the education system and to analyze disbursement levels related to its transformation. Various stakeholders from the education sector participated, along with technical partners and implementing agencies, including the World Bank, UNICEF, AFD, UNESCO, and the coordination teams for the PEQIP project and the Efficace program. The mid-term review is of strategic importance to GPE in its commitment to supporting the Congolese government in building a more inclusive, equitable, and high-quality education system. Ongoing discussions aim to ensure efficient resource allocation to achieve the objectives set out in the Partnership Pact. Through this commitment, GPE reaffirms its support for the transformation of education in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in alignment with the vision of the Head of State, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, who makes quality education a pillar of national development. This vision is based in particular on expanding access to education for all children and on the continuous professional development of teachers. Marie Shomba