Statement by Panashe Mlambo, Department Head of Research and Journalism
Education is every child’s right, yet for millions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), it remains a distant dream. Right now, an estimated 7.6 million children are out of school, and shockingly, half of all girls aged 5-17 are unable to attend classes. This is not due to a lack of ambition or willingness to learn but because of deep-rooted challenges poverty, conflict, and chronic underfunding that make education nearly impossible for so many.
The Cost of Conflict: A Generation Left Behind
Across the DRC, schools are not just closing they are being destroyed. Nearly 1,700 schools have been forced to shut their doors due to persistent insecurity, particularly in areas controlled by armed groups. In just the past year, another 540 schools were lost to escalating conflict. Schools should be places of hope and safety, yet at least 160 were looted or burned in a single year, erasing opportunities for thousands of children.
Without access to education, young people become even more vulnerable to recruitment as child soldiers, to forced labour, to trafficking. Many experience the trauma of violence firsthand, leaving deep psychological scars that make learning even harder. The impact is devastating, not just for individual children but for the future of an entire generation.
Hunger, Displacement, and Failing Systems
The crisis extends beyond education. Families already struggling with displacement due to war now face worsening food insecurity. 1.3 million children suffer from severe malnutrition, a crisis that affects their growth, concentration, and ability to thrive in any learning environment. Meanwhile, for those fortunate enough to remain in school, education quality is critically low, with the DRC ranked among the countries where children’s education is at “extreme risk”. Instead of increasing support, the government has cut education funding from 21.6% to 18.4%, further straining an already overwhelmed system.
The World Cannot Stand By
The war in the DRC is not happening in isolation. It is being fueled by external actors—notably Rwanda and Uganda, who have been linked to the armed group M23. Despite Rwanda’s involvement in the conflict, it continues to receive foreign aid from nations like the United States and institutions such as the World Bank. This contradiction is unacceptable.
We call on the international community to condemn Rwanda’s role in the war, halt all military and financial support to aggressor states, and take urgent action to protect the rights of Congolese children. Schools must be safeguarded, funding must be restored, and every child must have the chance to learn in a safe and nurturing environment.
This is not just an education crisis it is a humanitarian emergency. We must act now, before another generation is lost.
Photo by Pawel Janiak on Unsplash
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