Education situation in the provinces of North and South Kivu

Data updated as of April 1, 2025, for North Kivu and March 14, 2025, for South Kivu

The security situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to profoundly affect the education system. While a gradual improvement is observed in North Kivu province, the deterioration of the situation in South Kivu is becoming particularly concerning, to the point of compromising access to information on the ground. This disparity between the two provinces reflects the persistent instability and major logistical challenges faced by education and humanitarian actors.

Situation in North Kivu (as of April 1, 2025)

In this province, an encouraging trend is observed, although obstacles remain. 316 schools remain closed, including 1 in North Kivu 1 and 315 in North Kivu 2, preventing 216,317 children, including 105,489 girls, from returning to school. In North Kivu 1, 13 schools continue to house internally displaced persons. In some cases, classrooms are vacated during school hours, only to be reoccupied after school activities. The scars of the violence remain visible: some schools have been damaged by bullets or shells, or completely destroyed, requiring rehabilitation work to ensure the safety of students and teachers.

In North Kivu 2, the situation is exacerbated by a dual security threat. In addition to the crisis linked to the M23, which affects the educational subdivisions of Kirumba, Kitsumbiro, Lubero 1 and 2, as well as Kyondo, the persistent activity of the ADF-NALU armed group in the areas of Oicha, Beni, Njiapanda Bulongo, Kamango, Kyondo, and the western part of Lubero 1 has caused massive population displacements, including students. These students have moved to so-called secure areas, where the continuity of their education remains uncertain.

Situation in South Kivu (as of March 14, 2025)

The province of South Kivu is experiencing a significant worsening of the crisis, making access to information increasingly difficult. Humanitarian partners are forced to leave certain occupied territories for security reasons, which hinders the regular collection of data.

3,305 schools are currently closed, including 1,490 in South Kivu 1, 1,333 in South Kivu 2, and 482 in South Kivu 3, preventing 1,132,777 children—including 526,420 girls—from accessing education.

In South Kivu 1, 24 schools are being used as shelters by displaced people and 28 others are occupied by armed groups, severely compromising their operations. As in North Kivu, several schools have been damaged or destroyed by gunfire or looting and require urgent intervention for their rehabilitation.

Conclusion and Call to Action As of the date of this press release, 3,621 schools remain closed in the two eastern provinces of the DRC, and more than 1,349,094 children, including 631,909 girls, are deprived of education. This situation constitutes a national emergency that calls for collective action, both nationally and internationally, to ensure the continuity of learning, strengthen the protection of schools and students, and guarantee unimpeded humanitarian access to the affected areas.

The Ministry of National Education and New Citizenship continues to closely monitor the evolving situation and reaffirms its commitment to coordinating emergency educational responses in collaboration with on-the-ground actors. The protection of the right to education, even in times of crisis, remains a fundamental principle and a collective duty.

Issued in Kinshasa, April 10, 2025

The Communications Unit Press contact: 0837051333