Students Return to School Across the Democratic Republic of Congo

Students in the Democratic Republic of Congo returned to classrooms on September 1, beginning the 2026-2027 academic year after two months of vacation. Education authorities confirmed that schools should open nationwide at 7 a.m.

Education Inspector General Hubert Kimboza urged provincial chief inspectors to help implement reforms and said the year would focus on strengthening the skills of inspectors, teachers and support staff working in strategic services. He also announced further training during the year.

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The school calendar requires all of us to open the school doors on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at 7 a.m. All schools must be open, and the provincial chief inspectors are the first technical officers in the provinces.

The education administration plans to install five new item-scanning centres as part of an effort to decentralize marking for the national State Examination. Kimboza said the longer-term goal is for all 26 administrative provinces to have scanning centres by the 2028-2029 school year.

He also warned school officials against demanding unauthorized fees or engaging in corrupt practices, including selling school supplies inside schools.

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We have moved toward multiplying the scanning centres because the underlying goal is that, by the 2028-2029 school year, all 26 administrative provinces will have scanning centres.