Vice-Minister Jean-Pierre Kezamudru welcomes the successful start of the new school year in Kinshasa

Over the course of two days, from Monday, September 2, to Tuesday, September 3, the Deputy Minister of National Education and New Citizenship (EDU-NC), Jean-Pierre Kezamudru, spent all his time in the field, visiting schools in five educational provinces of Kinshasa to ensure the smooth start of the 2024–2025 school year—a tour that concluded on a positive note.

On Monday, the second-in-command of the EDU-NC sub-sector began his tour in the Kinshasa-Lukunga educational province, where he visited the Institut de la Gombe 1 and 2, the Lycée Shaumba, and the Complexe Scolaire Les Loupiots. He then traveled to the Kinshasa-Funa educational province to visit the I.T.C. and ISP Victoire, the Académia School Complex, and Motema Mpiko High School, before heading to the Mont-Amba educational province, where he visited the Cardinal Monsengwo School Complex, Saint Raphael Middle School, and the Lumumba Institute.

On Tuesday, Deputy Minister Jean-Pierre Kezamudru began his series of visits in the Kinshasa-Tshangu educational province, where he visited the Elikya School Complex, Sainte Germaine High School, the Sonapangu School Complex, and the Reverend Kim School Complex. He concluded his tour in the Kinshasa-Plateau educational province, where he visited the Sainte Catherine School Group, Marie Immaculée Middle School, and E.P. Maman Sifa.

“I’ve been out in the field since yesterday, touring our educational provinces in Kinshasa, and I can confirm that the start of the 2024–2025 school year was a success. Over these two days, we visited private schools, state-contracted schools, and non-contracted schools. And everywhere we went, we saw that there were indeed students and teachers conducting classes. That is why I am delighted, because it was the wish of the Head of State, who wanted to see all students return to school, along with the teachers. So, it is a mission accomplished,” declared the number two official of the EDUC-NC sub-sector.

The deputy minister urged students to take their studies seriously to prepare for the future, which is key to the country’s development.

He took the same opportunity to announce that the Ministry of National Education and New Citizenship has launched a new program, the New Citizenship program. He specified that teachers will begin teaching the concepts of this course to students in preschool, elementary, and secondary school.

“We are aiming for a radical change in behavior, a change in the mindset of the Congolese people, a change in the way Congolese people think, so that the Congo of tomorrow will be strong and prosperous, led by the right people,” said Jean-Pierre Kezamudru.

Regarding the Mpox outbreak, the sub-sector’s second-in-command urged students and teachers to follow the measures issued by the Ministry of Health to protect themselves against the disease in school settings.

“The Ministry of Health has stated that there is no significant danger if we follow hygiene measures. That is why it has reinstated the same preventive measures that proved effective during the COVID-19 pandemic: social distancing, handwashing, the use of hand sanitizer, and wearing masks. If we follow all these measures, we will break the chain of Mpox transmission,” he concluded.

Christian BELLA