Raïssa Malu officially launches the PEQIP and EFFICACE projects

It was with "pride and determination" that Raïssa Malu, Minister of State and Minister of National Education and New Citizenship (EDU-NC), launched on Thursday, February 27, 2025, the Project for the Improvement of Primary Education Quality (PEQIP) and the Girls' Education Project, Initial and Continuing Teacher Training, and Support for Educational Continuity in Emergency Situations (EFFICACE), funded by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). The ceremony took place in the lobby of the Gombe I Institute, in the Kinshasa/Lukunga educational province.

In her speech, the Minister of EDU-NC emphasized that the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is committed to building an inclusive and high-performing education system, a true driver of national development and the promotion of democratic and active citizenship, in accordance with the vision of President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo. She noted that the 2015–2025 Sectoral Strategy for Education and Training was adopted with key reform priorities aimed at making the education system more equitable, improving learning conditions, and establishing more effective and transparent governance.

Raïssa Malu noted that this momentum led to the development, in 2022, of the Partnership Pact for the Transformation of the Education System, a collective commitment aimed at enhancing the quality of teaching and learning with the support of the Ministry’s strategic partners.

"Today, building on this strong partnership, we are launching two major projects: PEQIP and EFFICACE. These are essential levers for addressing the challenges facing the education sector," declared the head of EDU-NC.

Continuing her remarks, the Minister of State explained that the PEQIP project aims to ensure broader access to quality learning environments, strengthen teachers’ pedagogical effectiveness, and improve the management of the education system. Meanwhile, the EFFICACE project will implement key reforms to improve teachers’ career management, professionalize their training, and enhance learning conditions, particularly in the most disadvantaged areas.

"These efforts must be consolidated and sustained despite a difficult context, marked by an unjust war of aggression that is undermining our education system and threatening the future of our youth. In these troubled times, our national unity is more essential than ever. Together, we must defend our sovereignty, preserve our cohesion, and protect the foundation of our nation in the face of current challenges," said Raïssa Malu.

At the conclusion of her remarks, the Minister of EDU-NC, on behalf of the Government of the Republic, thanked all partners for their commitment and strategic partnership in support of education.

"Your support strengthens our efforts and enables us to accelerate the implementation of ambitious projects that promise a better future for our youth. We are convinced that only collaboration, based on mutual respect and a shared commitment, will ensure the lasting success of these initiatives. Together, let us transform these projects into engines of change for our schools, our children, and our entire nation," she concluded.

Several dignitaries attended the ceremony, including the Deputy Minister of EDU-NC, the Acting Secretary General of EDU-NC, the Inspector General of Education, the representative of the World Bank’s Director of Operations, the Director of the French Development Agency (AFD), representatives of technical and financial partners, teachers, students, parents, and other education stakeholders.

Christian BELLA