A School Gets A New Lease on Life in Rep. of Congo

A school is more than a collection of buildings. A school is a place where learners can take on knowledge that gives them opportunities for brighter futures. On February 21, 2020 AIRD in the Republic of Congo was honoured to hand over the keys to the Bouemba Primary School to the UNHCR. In attendance were several authorities who graced the special event.

The school is now made up of:

• Two buildings with 3 classrooms of 9/7 meters, equipped with 28 bench tables each.
• An administrative block of 8.26 meters long and 6.34 meters wide consisting of a room for teachers and an office for the director.
• Three blocks of latrine with double cabin (one block for girls, one for boys and another for teachers).
• A borehole

Bouemba Primary School was already in existence but was in a deplorable state and in ruins. It was clear that the existing infrastructure was a danger to the children studying there. Today, with its updated structures, it will house over 500 Congolese students and refugees, who will study under better conditions. The government representatives present during the reopening expressed gratitude to AIRD and the UNHCR for this work which will secure the future of the learners at the school.

Children look on during the festivities to open doors to the Bouemba Primary School

We are grateful to our colleagues in the AIRD DRC program for completing the job even when faced with challenges such as bad weather that made road conditions even worse and created logistical problems. They are all in agreement that it was worth overcoming all these challenges in order to realise the outcome of a decent school that students can be safe in and can be proud to come to. From start to finish, and to the final inauguration of the school, took the team 4 months. A total of 06 classrooms have been constructed and each building has 3 classrooms. Each classroom is equipped with 28 desks and tables and a teacher’s desk. The previously existing structures were completely razed to make way for the new buildings given the dangerous state they were in.

The Director General of Education, representing the Minister of Primary, Secondary and Literacy, said during her speech: “We are handing over the keys to this school; you have clearly showed that you care for the education of our children. For quality education, our children will learn in these buildings built only for them”. She also asked the local population and the teaching staff to take care of this school so that her children continue their education in quality infrastructure.

Visiting officials are taken on a tour of the refurbished school facilities.