SSEF 2016 -2025 review: improving access to the education system and its financing among experts' recommendations

The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is called upon to improve access to the education system, professionalize training programs, and strengthen the quality assurance framework. These recommendations were formulated by education sector experts, technical and financial partners, and civil society following the preparatory workshops for the joint review of the Sectoral Strategy for Education and Training (SSEF 2016–2025), which took place on Tuesday, December 5, and Wednesday, December 6. The issue of data production and its financing was also addressed during these meetings, held at four locations—two in Silikin Village, one at CREC, and the last at UNESCO. Regarding the financing of the education system, for example, the experts gathered at CREC proposed that the government establish a common fund for data production, the pooling of data-producing services, and the organization of quarterly evaluations of the education sector’s budget execution. The integration of Higher and University Education (ESU) with Primary, Secondary, and Technical Education (EPST) was addressed at the workshop held at UNESCO. It specifically recommended revitalizing quality assurance and allocating a substantial budget to support structures such as ANADEC-ESU. Gratien Mokonzi, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at the Permanent Secretariat for Support and Coordination of the Education Sector (SPACE), called for these recommendations to be followed to ensure the success of the joint review of the SSEF 2016–2025. Originally scheduled for 2023, the review of the SSEF 2016-2025 will ultimately take place in February 2024. Kinanga Alain, Ouriel Mangitukwa, and Jirel Kitoko