Press release
Democratic Republic of Congo: UNESCO and AFD promise to provide better training and support for teachers
Teacher training and support are major levers for ensuring that all children have access to quality education. Last month, the African Union dedicated the year 2024 to education, and UNESCO’s new initiatives in the Democratic Republic of Congo underline our resolute commitment to supporting all the continent's states in overcoming education challenges.
In keeping with the commitment made in Ouagadougou in 2017, by the President of the French Republic, education continues to be one of the priorities in the cooperation between France and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This program marks an important step in our partnership with UNESCO. It is essential to combine our expertise and experiences to support access to education in RDC and to contribute to the reduction of inequalities and vulnerabilities.
Over the past ten years, the DRC has made significant strides towards fully democratizing access to primary education. Today, nearly 80% of children aged 6 to 11 attend school. However, almost one child in three does not complete primary school. While continuing to improve universal access to education, the DRC has embarked on another ambitious project: improving the quality of teaching.
Indeed, almost 73% of pupils still fail to reach the minimum recommended level in reading and 82% fail to achieve it in mathematics. Girls do significantly worse than boys in these two metrics. Studies conducted with the support of the UNESCO Institute for Capacity Building in Africa show that these difficulties are particularly due to a lack of training and support for teachers.
Better trained and supported teachers
In this context, UNESCO will implement one four-year project in the DRC to improve teacher training and motivation. The Organization will test-drive a new programme of teaching the fundamental skills, putting greater emphasis than before on the core disciplines of reading, writing and mathematics, while harmonizing initial and in-service training around a common set of professional skills.
This project is also designed to consolidate the role of school principals as the primary supervisors of education systems, and to relaunch local school networks that enable teachers from neighbouring schools to share experiences and best practices. In addition, a system will be put in place to facilitate the distribution of training content throughout the country at all levels.
Encouraging women to enter the profession
Because the teaching profession remains overwhelmingly male-dominated, this project also aims to encourage women to enter the profession. Education staff will be trained in gender issues, and specific action will be taken, including conducting communication campaigns and rehabilitating school sanitary facilities.
The feminization of the profession will help ensure classrooms are perceived as safe and welcoming places for young girls, and provide them with positive role models in their daily lives to encourage them to invest in their studies.
More than 13,000 teachers, 1,500 school principals and 600 education inspectors will benefit from UNESCO’s initiatives, which AFD have backed to the tune of €9 million, as part of the Global Partnership for Education. The implementation agreement was signed on Tuesday March 5 at UNESCO headquarters by Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of the Organization, and Rémy Rioux, Chief Executive Officer of AFD.
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About UNESCO
With 194 Member States, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization contributes to peace and security by leading multilateral cooperation on education, science, culture, communication and information. Headquartered in Paris, UNESCO has offices in 54 countries and employs over 2300 people. UNESCO oversees more than 2000 World Heritage sites, Biosphere Reserves and Global Geoparks; networks of Creative, Learning, Inclusive and Sustainable Cities; and over 13 000 associated schools, university chairs, training and research institutions. Its Director-General is Audrey Azoulay.
“Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed” – UNESCO Constitution, 1945.
More information: www.unesco.org
About Agence Française de Développement (AFD)
The Agence Française de Développement Group (AFD) implements France’s development and international solidarity policy. Through its financing activities of the public sector and NGOs, its studies and research publications (Éditions AFD), training on sustainable development (Campus AFD) and awareness-raising in France, AFD finances, supports, and accelerates the transitions towards a more resilient and equitable world.
With our partners, we are building shared solutions with and for populations in the Global South. Our teams are at work on more than 4,000 projects in the field, in the French Overseas Departments and Territories, in 115 countries, and in regions in crisis.
We strive to protect global public goods – climate, biodiversity, peace, gender equality, education, and health. In this way, we contribute to the commitment of France and the French people to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To create a world in common.
Email: _AFDpresse@afd.fr
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