Hundreds of secondary school students gathered outside the DRC parliament on Thursday, demanding that classes restart after a three-week teacher strike.
As they rushed up the steps and into the debate room, students screamed that they wanted to study. the students were shown to be greeted by the parliament’s deputy speaker in videos uploaded on social media.
Although Congolese schools resumed on October 4, many institutions have yet to begin classes because teachers are on strike for higher pay.
Tony Mwaba, the minister of education, has warned that people who take part in strike action risk being fired from their jobs. He has yet to respond to a request from an opposition senator to replace strikers with fresh teachers.
Since September 2019, President Felix Tshisekedi has prioritized free primary school education, investing $2.6 billion annually compared to a total government budget of around $7.0 billion for 2021.
Free education is not being actualized due to lack of planning, according to the pressure organization Fight For Change (Lucha), which has urged the administration to find acceptable temporary solutions to save the new school year.