Kinshasa, DR Congo (Running Africa) — Millions of children are returning to classrooms across the Democratic Republic of Congo as the country battles its worst recorded Ebola outbreak, leaving parents and teachers concerned about the risk of transmission in schools.
The new academic year began this week despite the outbreak spreading across six of the country’s 26 provinces. Government figures published on September 2 showed more than 6,100 confirmed Ebola cases and over 3,000 deaths.
Ituri province in eastern DR Congo remains the epicenter of the outbreak and has recorded the majority of infections.
Parents Fear Ebola Spread in DR Congo Schools
For families in Ebola-affected communities, returning to school has brought difficult choices.
Some parents fear crowded classrooms and close contact between pupils could increase transmission and expose entire households to the virus.
In Beni, North Kivu, parents have sent children to school with disinfectant while urging them to avoid physical contact with classmates.
Schools are introducing measures, including handwashing, sanitizer, and social distancing, to reduce the risk of infection.
Despite those precautions, some families remain skeptical about whether schools can adequately protect children while the outbreak continues.
Government Reverses Remote Learning Plan
Authorities had initially planned to temporarily suspend classroom teaching in high-risk “red zones” and introduce distance learning through printed worksheets and educational programs broadcast on radio and television.
However, the government reversed that decision following requests from provincial authorities concerned that children in affected areas could fall behind academically.
More than 1,000 schools in Ituri are classified as high-risk, but in-person classes have resumed. Education authorities say schools will close and switch to distance learning if Ebola cases are detected.
Schools have also reopened in parts of North and South Kivu controlled by the AFC/M23 rebel movement.
DR Congo Battles Deadliest Ebola Outbreak
The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola virus, which differs from the Zaire species responsible for many previous outbreaks in DR Congo.
There is currently no approved vaccine or treatment specifically for Bundibugyo virus disease.
As authorities attempt to keep education running, the reopening highlights a difficult balance for DR Congo: protecting children from a deadly public health emergency while preventing another major disruption to their education.
For parents in the hardest-hit communities, that balance continues to bring uncertainty as their children return to the classroom.
