Kinshasa: two autistic students take part in ENAFEP

The National Primary School Graduation Exam (ENAFEP) concluded on Tuesday, June 4, across the entire DRC. In Kinshasa, two children with autism also took the exam at the Lemba 13 testing center. Tiadela Kasanda, a student at the CEHEIMA center, noted that the preparation had been very intensive, enabling her to perform well on the first and second days of the exam. “Everything went well and it was easy. I’m sure I’ll get good results,” she said. Her mother, who accompanied her, expressed her joy at seeing her daughter accurately repeat the questions and answers asked during the exam. “We’ve come a long way; we started from nothing, from being unable to speak, and today we’re taking the Enafep exam—so this proves we can go even further. “I encourage parents who still care for their children with intellectual disabilities to send them to specialized centers and services,” she emphasized. Praise was also heaped on one of her mentors, Ley Nzomazowa, an educational psychologist at the CEHEIMA center led by Professor Dr. Joachim Mukau Ebwel. “I am proud of the support they have received—being there whenever they need an explanation and easily finding answers on their own. All of this has really impressed me, and it is due to the work methods we have employed throughout the year,” he said with delight. It should be noted that autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder, meaning alterations in the brain that occur before birth and affect language, motor skills, perception, emotions, and social interactions. KANAMA MILEMBU CYNTHIA