the implementation of free primary education is unquestionably a great success" (President Tshisekedi).

Without false modesty, President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo reaffirmed on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, that free public primary education has been a great success. The Head of State, echoing the World Bank’s statement from weeks earlier, backed up his claim with figures regarding the thousands of schools that have been built and renovated. He also, and most importantly, cited figures regarding the mechanization and/or recruitment of teaching staff and administrative personnel within the Ministry of Primary, Secondary, and Technical Education (EPST). "The implementation of free education is undeniably a great success. (It has enabled) the Congolese government to cover all school fees in their entirety—fees that were previously borne by parents—including the cost of taking the National Primary School Graduation Exam (ENAFEP), and the average teacher’s salary has risen from 159,667 FC to 408,689 FC,” he stated. He added, "It is worth noting first that, to date, the Treasury—through the government’s own efforts—has funded 79,145 new teaching positions at the preschool, primary, and secondary levels, not to mention administrative staff." He also highlighted successive waves of hiring of teachers that have occurred since the implementation of free education. These waves have increased the growth rate of paid staff in the EPST subsector to 68%. "Thus, the number of paid teachers rose from 410,254 to 689,399. Furthermore, the upward revision of the base salary for all teachers, the provision of transportation and housing allowances for teachers in regional capitals, the provision of rural area bonuses for those in the provinces, as well as the payment of the free education bonus to primary school teachers," he said. It should be noted that the President of the Republic made these remarks during his final State of the Nation address for his first five-year term. He delivered the address before both houses of parliament convened in a joint session. Willy Kambulu