New school agreement: Tony Mwaba satisfied with the establishment of a permanent consultation framework between EPST and religious denominations

Following the signing of the new school agreement between the DRC government and religious denominations at the end of 2022, the two parties established a permanent consultation framework on Monday, January 9, 2023. The event took place at the Béatrice Hotel in Kinshasa.

For Tony Mwaba Kazadi, National Minister of EPST representing the government, this framework will facilitate dialogue between EPST and the legal representatives of religious denominations, fostering a successful partnership:

“This framework will ensure effective management of education issues in our subsector. It will be an opportunity for us to share the government’s objectives, notably the consolidation and sustainability of free primary education, the fight against all forms of anti-values within the EPST, the mechanization of schools, the improvement of teachers’ socio-professional conditions, school operating costs, and several other issues,” the head of the EPST told the press.

Minister Tony Mwaba’s initiative is to be commended and encouraged for the various benefits it offers, said Dodo Kamba, head of the Revival Churches, one of the religious denominations that signed the agreement:

“What His Excellency the Minister has just done today reminds us, the religious denominations, that we have our share of responsibility. We are being given the opportunity to tackle these issues head-on,” he stated.

He called on all other religious denominations and the public to rally behind Minister Tony Mwaba:

“The ship is underway. We can only board it unanimously. This time, we would like to see fewer complaints in the EPST sub-sector. We encourage and support the minister,” he said.

It should be noted that the new school agreement between the state and the religious denominations replaced the one dated February 26, 1977, which had become obsolete.

Bruno NSAKA