Education experts from the Democratic Republic of the Congo have gathered for a strategic workshop from November 2 to 6 to discuss the establishment of Institutes for Teaching Professions (IFME). This major reform aims to build a more efficient, inclusive, and result-oriented education system. A well-trained teacher is better equipped to meet pedagogical requirements and address the needs of each learner. The Minister of State for National Education and New Citizenship opened the workshop, encouraging participants to contribute to the success of this reform.
The Minister of State, in her opening remarks, emphasized the importance of this reform in improving the quality of education in the country. She encouraged participants to give their best to ensure the success of this initiative. Fatoumata Marega, the interim representative of UNESCO in the DRC, highlighted the significance of the initial training of teachers, which should enable them to develop pedagogical and professional skills, manage a class, evaluate learning, promote inclusion, and adapt to diverse educational contexts.
According to Fatoumata Marega, the reform of IFME represents a major opportunity to better prepare today's and tomorrow's teachers, ultimately improving the quality of learning for Congolese children. However, she stressed that this reform must be part of a systemic and coherent vision of the national teacher training system. The IFME should articulate effectively with renovated pedagogical humanities (HPR) and higher pedagogical institutes (ISP), in a logic of complementarity, continuity of pathways, and quality of teaching at all levels.
Fatoumata Marega emphasized that the responsibility for this reform is collective, and stakeholders must work together to define the missions of each structure, the bridges between different levels of training, the professionalization of future teachers, and the mechanisms to guarantee the quality of training provided. She encouraged participants to move beyond sectoral and fragmented approaches to build a coherent device, adapted to the realities and needs of the DRC, and resolutely oriented towards sustainable results.
The UNESCO representative highlighted that the workshop's goal is to develop a common vision, clarify the governance and pedagogical organization modalities of IFME, and define an operational, realistic, and consensual roadmap for their implementation. She expressed her conviction that the real success of this reform will be measured by the quality of teachers trained, the accompaniment of learners, and the tangible improvement of learning outcomes in the country's schools.
Fatoumata Marega concluded that the first beneficiaries of these reflections, decisions, and collective commitment will be Congolese children, and it is for their future that stakeholders must work. The success of this reform will depend on the quality of teacher training and the ability of stakeholders to work together to achieve this goal. The DRC aims to build a solid, relevant, and sustainable Congolese model, inspired by international standards and best practices.
The workshop, which brings together experts from various fields, aims to produce a comprehensive plan for the establishment of IFME, which will contribute to improving the quality of education in the DRC. The participants will work together to address the challenges facing the education system and develop a roadmap for the implementation of this reform. The Minister of State and UNESCO representative have expressed their commitment to supporting this initiative, which is expected to have a positive impact on the education sector in the DRC.
Key points
- DR Congo education experts meet to discuss setting up institutes to train teachers
- UNESCO supports the reform, emphasizing the importance of teacher training quality
- The reform aims to improve the quality of education and learning outcomes in the DRC
