Governance of the Basic Education Programme in the DRC (2014-2024)


Authors : Pierre Olela Ngongo; Jean Marie Kapenga Kazadi Ntundula; Maxime Mambongo Zunguzungu

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 2 - February


Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/59ts8st8

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/4mrpbfye

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26feb262

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.


Abstract : This study was conducted to analyze the political and institutional dynamics that structure the governance of the basic education program in the Democratic Republic of Congo between 2014 and 2024, with a particular focus on the city of Kinshasa. It begins with the observation that, despite the existence of an ambitious legal and strategic framework, the effective implementation of educational reforms remains uneven and marked by numerous dysfunctions. The study aims to examine the role of the Ministry of National Education in the coordination, management, and implementation of the basic education program, analyzing the influence of institutional, political, and partnership factors on the coherence, continuity, and effectiveness of educational policies. To this end, a qualitative methodological approach was favored, based on document analysis and surveys of educational stakeholders involved in the implementation of the reforms. The results reveal an educational governance characterized by persistent centralization, low participation of local stakeholders, recurring administrative instability, and significant dependence on technical and financial partners. The study also highlights the limited impact of feedback from the field on strategic decisions. From a scientific perspective, this research makes an original contribution by offering a politico-institutional analysis of educational governance in the DRC, emphasizing that the performance of the basic education program depends primarily on the quality of public governance.

Keywords : Educational Governance, Basic Education DRC, Ministry of National Education (MEN), Educational Policy, Framework Law 14/004.

References :

  1. FD Agency, (2024). Educational Decentralization in Africa. Paris, France
  2. Akkari, A. (2025). African education systems to 2030. Geneva, Switzerland
  3. Ateba, C. (2023). Revitalizing school governance in Africa. EFUA Editions. Cameroon.
  4. World Bank. (2023). Governance and Educational Performance in Africa. Washington DC, USA
  5. World Bank. (2023). Report on Education Financing and Governance in Sub-Saharan Africa. Washington, DC
  6. Creswell, JW & Plano, C (2015). Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research. 3rd edition, SAGE, USA
  7. Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Congo. (2006). Official Gazette of the DRC.
  8. Denef, J., & Mvé-Ondo, H. (2022). University governance in Africa. Presses Universitaires de Yaoundé, Cameroon.
  9. Ghana Ministry of Education. (2023). Community Participation in Education. Accra, Ghana
  10. Groffier, S. (2014). University Management in Africa. Presses Universitaires de Genève, Switzerland.
  11. Kapeta, PA (2019). Participatory Governance and Education in Congo. University of Kinshasa Press, DRC
  12. PASEC. (2024). Evaluation of education systems in the DRC. Cotonou, Benin
  13. Democratic Republic of Congo (2014). Framework Law No. 14/004 of February 11, 2014 on the general organization of national education.
  14. Uganda National Council for Higher Education. (2022). Participatory Management in Education. Kampala, Uganda.
  15. UNESCO & African Union. (2025). State of Education in Africa. Paris, France:
  16. UNESCO. (2024). Education Policies in Africa. Paris, France
  17. Veliganio, M., & Galigao, J. (2025). Local autonomy and educational performance. University of Nairobi Press, Kenya

This study was conducted to analyze the political and institutional dynamics that structure the governance of the basic education program in the Democratic Republic of Congo between 2014 and 2024, with a particular focus on the city of Kinshasa. It begins with the observation that, despite the existence of an ambitious legal and strategic framework, the effective implementation of educational reforms remains uneven and marked by numerous dysfunctions. The study aims to examine the role of the Ministry of National Education in the coordination, management, and implementation of the basic education program, analyzing the influence of institutional, political, and partnership factors on the coherence, continuity, and effectiveness of educational policies. To this end, a qualitative methodological approach was favored, based on document analysis and surveys of educational stakeholders involved in the implementation of the reforms. The results reveal an educational governance characterized by persistent centralization, low participation of local stakeholders, recurring administrative instability, and significant dependence on technical and financial partners. The study also highlights the limited impact of feedback from the field on strategic decisions. From a scientific perspective, this research makes an original contribution by offering a politico-institutional analysis of educational governance in the DRC, emphasizing that the performance of the basic education program depends primarily on the quality of public governance.

Keywords : Educational Governance, Basic Education DRC, Ministry of National Education (MEN), Educational Policy, Framework Law 14/004.

Paper Submission Last Date
28 - February - 2026

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