Democratic Republic of Congo

THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL record suggests that the area now known as the DRC was populated at least 10 000 years ago, and probably earlier, by stone-age pygmy groupings who were forced into the remoter forest areas with the steady incursion of Bantu speakers from present-day Nigeria. By the 7th century AD, these iron-age Bantu communities were well established across large parts of the heavily wooded Congo basin that in turn is dominated by one of the world’s longest and most inaccessible rivers...Read more.

Schooling in the DRC runs over twelve years. Primary education is compulsory and lasts for six years (learners aged 6-12), leading to the Certificat d’Etudes primaires (CEP). This allows access to secondary education (International Association of Universities (IAU) World Higher Education Database, 2005; World Bank Ed Stats, 2007). Secondary education (in either general or technical education) lasts for five to six years (depending on the cycle). The long cycle (general and technical education) lasts for six years from the age of twelve and only students who have passed the end of primary education may enrol. Those who complete the long cycle in a technical field and pass the Diplôme d’Etat are eligible for admission to higher education. The short cycle (technical/vocational training) lasts for up to five years in areas such as trade and crafts at the end of which a ‘Brevet’ is awarded (International Association of Universities (IAU) World Higher Education Database, 2005; World Bank Ed Stats, 2007).
 

Type of Higher Education Institutions	Number of Institutions
Publicly funded universities	4
Publicly funded Polytechnics or specialized colleges	147
Privately funded, accredited universities or colleges	227
Other institutions	2
TOTAL	380

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Source: DRC MoHE questionnaire response

The education system in the DRC is governed by the law 25/95 of 17 November 1995 amending the School Act No. 008/90 of September 6, 1990 and on the reorganization of the education system. This law stipulates the right to education ensuring equal access to education and vocational training. Public education is free. Basic education is compulsory. The right to establish private schools is subject to the approval of the State (Ministere de l’enseignement Primaire et Secondaire Charge de l’Alphabetisation, 2002).

Pacte de Modernisation de l’Enseignement Supérieur et Universitaire (PADEM) is the Ministry of Higher Education and Universities’ reform agenda that started in 2003. The objectives of PADEM are to:

•	Upgrade professional and teaching careers; and
•	Reform and modernize the system of higher education and University;
•	Make the university a true center of excellence (Table Ronde de l’Education en République Démocratique du Congo, 2004)

Higher Education Legislation	Brief Description
No information available

List of Statutory Bodies in the Higher Education Sector

Statutory Bodies	Brief description
No information available

 

Public Expenditure on Education as a % of Gross National Income (GNI)	4.6%
% Education budget allocated to higher education	No data
Loan/Grant scheme in place	No data

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Source: SARUA (2008) – Pillay report

Key Indicators	DRC
R&D Intensity [The ratio of Gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) to Gross Domestic Product (GDP)]	0.4% (2004)
ISI Output (Number of papers published in the 7500+ journals of the ISI Web of Science)	1990-1995: 264 1996-2001: 173 2002-2007: 242

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Source: SARUA (2008) – CREST Report