Tribute to Tshuapa teachers and emergency measures to secure pay in Befale and Monkoto

The Minister of State, Minister of National Education and New Citizenship, expresses her deepest sorrow following the tragic deaths of a teacher and a school principal in the Befale region. This tragedy occurred on March 14 and 16, while these public servants were making the necessary trip to the Equity BCDC operator to verify their identities in order to regularize access to their salaries. In these particularly painful circumstances, the Minister of State extends her deepest condolences to the families of the deceased as well as to the entire educational community, which has been so severely affected. She calls on every citizen to show solidarity and compassion in supporting the victims’ loved ones and the schools affected by this immense loss.

It should be noted that the payment of teachers’ salaries in Befale and Monkoto has experienced a series of major disruptions due exclusively to the financial difficulties of the former operator, Afriland Bank. This precarious situation has resulted in a four-month delay in salary payments, impacting not only these regions but also other entities managed by the same service provider. In response to this crisis, the Ministry of National Education and New Citizenship acted promptly by approaching the Ministry of Finance to secure the immediate transfer of payroll processing to new banking operators. Furthermore, the Government of the Republic has made a significant financial effort to support the final settlement of all arrears recorded in Tshuapa Province.

Following these measures, the Minister of State strongly urges the operator now in charge of payroll to redouble its efforts to improve service quality. She emphasizes the imperative need to simplify, secure, and accelerate banking operations for the direct benefit of teachers. In collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, she reaffirms her commitment to accelerating reforms in the sub-sector, particularly through the deployment of digital solutions tailored to remote areas or those inadequately served by traditional banking services. Finally, while encouraging all stakeholders to support government initiatives aimed at a sustainable improvement in pay conditions, the Minister of State calls on teachers in Tshuapa to calmly continue the identification procedures essential for their full coverage.

Done at Kinshasa, March 21, 2026 

The Communications Unit