Approximately 40% of graduating high school students did not take the preliminary State Exam in the Djugu territory of Ituri, local civil society lamented on Monday, May 4.
The cause is persistent insecurity, which continues to disrupt the education system in this part of the DRC.
Students Displaced by Displacement
According to members of this civil society organization, armed violence in recent months has displaced thousands of residents, preventing many students from reaching exam centers. Some candidates have been relocated to areas considered safer, notably Fataki and Bunia.
But for a large number of students who have taken refuge in isolated areas, access remains impossible:
“Around 40% of graduating students were unable to take the exams,” lamented Jules Tsuba, a local activist.
Mambasa also affected by violence
The same situation is observed in the Mambasa territory, where attacks attributed to ADF militias in more than 15 localities have led to school dropouts.
The provincial director of Primary, Secondary and Technical Education (EPST) for Ituri 1 indicates that the exact number of absent students is not yet known, according to provincial education authorities, who describe the situation as still evolving.
Schools closed and sites overcrowded
In Bule, more than 80,000 displaced people are living at the Savo Plain site, where schools have been closed for six months. Repeated attacks by the Convention for the Popular Revolution militia and ongoing military operations have made any schooling impossible.
Furthermore, more than 30,000 people have fled since March to other areas, notably Djaiba and the Mahagi territory, exacerbating the pressure on reception infrastructure.
Calls for Postponing Exams
Faced with this situation, several local sources are calling on the government to consider postponing exams for students affected by insecurity, in order to guarantee equal opportunities.
Despite these difficulties, school authorities maintain that the officially opened exam centers remain operational, even though a significant number of candidates are still unable to take the exams.
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