Joint Committee Government - EPST Trade Union Bench: Start of committee work

The joint committee meeting between the government and the EPST union began on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, at the Venus Village in Bibwa, in the Nsele district of Kinshasa. The committee will review the various concerns of Congolese teachers with the aim of improving the quality of education. The participants established two major committees that are expected to present their recommendations by Wednesday, February 28, at the latest. The first committee is tasked with defining strategies and priority actions to be implemented within the budget allocated to the education subsector for the 2024 fiscal year. The second committee focuses on the lobbying efforts to be undertaken. Mr. José Ngongbaka Lawa, spokesperson for the EPST inter-union coalition, addressed the press to shed light on the proceedings of this meeting. “The joint committee is not focused on the government’s new commitments, but rather on a mid-year assessment to define priority actions in support of teachers based on the budget allocated to the EPST for fiscal year 2024 ” he emphasized, while thanking the minister in charge, Tony Mwaba Kazadi, for involving the unions in the management of funds allocated to the ministry to prevent risks. José Ngongbaka Lawa also spoke about the participation of Syeco members in these proceedings. “Syeco members were present; during the interview we had yesterday, everyone showed up. We have here the recommendation signed by Secretary General Cécile Tshiyombo, which clearly attests that Syeco is present at these meetings,” he said, thereby dismissing the rumors claiming the union’s absence. It should be noted that these proceedings were launched on Saturday, February 24, by the minister in charge, Tony Mwaba, on behalf of Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde. Dan de Dieu Kayanda and Glodi Mboma