DRC: Over 24,000 Teachers Receive 'Prime de Gratuité' After Payroll Audit

At least 24,296 teachers in the Democratic Republic of Congo have had their "prime de gratuité" (grant for free education) regularized following an extensive payroll audit. Vital Lumbala, national director of the National Directorate for Control, Preparation of Payroll, and Management of Teacher and Administrative Staff (DINACOPE), announced the figures in Kinshasa.

During a press briefing, Lumbala presented the results of the audit, which identified and corrected numerous administrative irregularities. This process also integrated thousands of teachers who had been awaiting their grant payments. He emphasized that the corrections did not require additional funding from the public treasury. Instead, resources were generated through savings achieved by better workforce management and the elimination of payment circuit anomalies.

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At least 24,296 teachers have thus seen their situation regularized for the prime de gratuité. We did not request an additional envelope from the public treasury to carry out these corrections. We worked with what already existed by strengthening payroll control, searching for duplicates, and identifying irregular situations.

"At least 24,296 teachers have thus seen their situation regularized for the prime de gratuité. We did not request an additional envelope from the public treasury to carry out these corrections. We worked with what already existed by strengthening payroll control, searching for duplicates, and identifying irregular situations," Lumbala stated. The initial audit yielded savings exceeding 471 million Congolese francs (FC), which were then allocated to the direct beneficiaries, particularly the teachers whose files were pending regularization.

According to DINACOPE, this initiative aligns with the government's commitment to enhancing public finance management while ensuring better remuneration for educational staff. Lumbala also highlighted improved data harmonization between DINACOPE and payroll services, which has significantly reduced the time needed to update payment systems. This reform aims to bolster transparency in workforce management and expedite the processing of teachers' files, supporting the government's policy of free primary education and improving teachers' socio-professional conditions.

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We have directed these resources towards the direct beneficiaries, who are the teachers.