Raïssa Malu: "Schools must be safe places for students, teachers and administrative staff".

Raïssa Malu, Minister of State and Minister of National Education and New Citizenship, is deeply saddened by several recent incidents of deadly violence reported in schools across the country.

In a statement released on Friday, September 13, the Minister of State, as quoted by her communications office, expressed her sadness over these tragedies, which led to the deaths of two students—one in Kinshasa at Madame Le Sevigné High School in Limete and the other in Nyiragongo in North Kivu Province.

“I am appalled. Schools must be safe places for students, teachers, and administrative staff. We must act with firmness and determination to ensure the safety of our schools. We cannot tolerate any violence, whether it occurs within or outside school premises. Everyone—girls and boys, men and women—must feel protected and supported,” the statement reads. Upon learning of these events, Ms. Raïssa Malu could not fathom such a level of violence in a school setting, where children come to learn the values that underpin society and human relationships, and are prepared to take over the reins of the country. She therefore supports the continuation of the ongoing investigations so that responsibilities can be clearly established, allowing the competent authorities to take the necessary measures. In Kinshasa, the Director of the Mont-Amba Educational Province instructed the administrators of the aforementioned high school to strengthen security on school grounds and to convene parents for an emergency meeting, pending the conclusions of the judicial investigation. Alain Kinanga and Ivan Mudiangombé