Kinshasa, June 29, 2026, The Democratic Republic of Congo has launched a major education initiative aimed at improving the quality of teacher training across the country.

On June 26, UNESCO and France's Agence Française de Développement (AFD) signed a partnership agreement in Kinshasa under the EFFICACE project to strengthen the training of future primary school teachers. The initiative is supported by the Global Partnership for Education through AFD.

More than $4 million will be invested in modernizing the country's Teacher Training Institutes (IFME), improving teaching methods, strengthening institutional capacity, and raising the overall quality of teacher education.

The programme will place particular emphasis on improving children's reading, writing, and mathematics skills while encouraging more women to join the teaching profession.

According to project partners, women currently account for less than 20% of public secondary school teachers in the DRC. Increasing female representation is expected to improve girls' enrollment, retention, and academic performance by providing more role models in classrooms.

The initiative comes as the DRC continues to expand access to education. Since 2012, the country's primary school completion rate has risen from about 29% to nearly 70%, reflecting significant progress in school enrollment.

Despite these gains, learning outcomes remain a major challenge. Nearly 73% of pupils do not achieve minimum reading proficiency by the end of primary school, while more than 80% struggle with basic mathematics. In addition, many of the country's more than 800,000 teachers entered classrooms without formal pre-service training.

The new programme seeks to address these challenges by professionalizing teacher preparation before educators begin teaching. UNESCO says strengthening teacher training is one of the most effective ways to improve learning outcomes and ensure children receive a quality education.

Beyond education, the initiative represents a long-term investment in the country's human capital. Better-trained teachers can help improve literacy, reduce inequality, create more opportunities for girls, and prepare a skilled workforce capable of supporting the DRC's future economic development.

The partnership also aligns with the government's broader efforts to strengthen public services while investing in the country's next generation.