education in the congo
~
"The Congo is far from reaching the Millennium Development Goal of primary education for all by 2015— with nearly half of Congolese children (more than 3 million) still estimated to be out of school and one in three having never stepped into a classroom. Universal primary education is one of the key Millennium Development Goals and identified as a priority by the Congolese government, yet funding for education programs remains extremely limited. According to the Congolese government, international donors invested just $150 million in education in 2007 and 2008—only 5% of all foreign assistance to Congo.
That amounts to $2 annually in foreign aid for every primary school age child, compared to $19 per Afghan child. Meanwhile, the Congolese government fell short of reaching its own pledge to allocate 16% of its national budget in 2008 to education, allocating only 8%.4 Doubling that would bring the country in line with the Sub Saharan average. Congo's education system is largely supported by school fees and that means poor Congolese families, with an average of six children, struggle to keep their kids in school. Monthly fees can amount to $5 per child and a normal wage is about $50 a month. As a result, drop-out rates are high. Half of children who enter first grade never finish primary school. In a war-torn country like Congo, where close to two million people are displaced, education also provides protection. Keeping children in school is an important measure to protect children from violence and abuse and give normality to thousands of displaced children,” says Ulrika Blom-Mondlane, Country Director for Norwegian Refugee Council in Congo." "Primary Education for All: Out of Reach for Congo's Children? (Press Release)." Primary Education for All: Out of Reach for Congo's Children? N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2013.
literacy levels are very low in the Congo depending on the sex. The Congo has many problem with it's education system with funding, and the system it's self.
Are they fixing it?
"Instability, poverty and natural disasters in DR Congo have undermined efforts to deliver basic services such as education, resulting in the deterioration of
many schools across the country. Millions of children, girls in particular, have very limited or no access to education. The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is working to improve the quality of education and enrollment of all children in the country, especially girls. As part of these efforts, 58 primary schools are being fully renovated throughout the country, to benefit about 30,000 students.
That amounts to $2 annually in foreign aid for every primary school age child, compared to $19 per Afghan child. Meanwhile, the Congolese government fell short of reaching its own pledge to allocate 16% of its national budget in 2008 to education, allocating only 8%.4 Doubling that would bring the country in line with the Sub Saharan average. Congo's education system is largely supported by school fees and that means poor Congolese families, with an average of six children, struggle to keep their kids in school. Monthly fees can amount to $5 per child and a normal wage is about $50 a month. As a result, drop-out rates are high. Half of children who enter first grade never finish primary school. In a war-torn country like Congo, where close to two million people are displaced, education also provides protection. Keeping children in school is an important measure to protect children from violence and abuse and give normality to thousands of displaced children,” says Ulrika Blom-Mondlane, Country Director for Norwegian Refugee Council in Congo." "Primary Education for All: Out of Reach for Congo's Children? (Press Release)." Primary Education for All: Out of Reach for Congo's Children? N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2013.
literacy levels are very low in the Congo depending on the sex. The Congo has many problem with it's education system with funding, and the system it's self.
Are they fixing it?
"Instability, poverty and natural disasters in DR Congo have undermined efforts to deliver basic services such as education, resulting in the deterioration of
many schools across the country. Millions of children, girls in particular, have very limited or no access to education. The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is working to improve the quality of education and enrollment of all children in the country, especially girls. As part of these efforts, 58 primary schools are being fully renovated throughout the country, to benefit about 30,000 students.