While education is something that is extremely desired and sought after in The Congo, it is not something that is attainable for every child. Education in The Congo is mandatory to age 16, however there are costs involved. With family wages averaging to be about $50 a month, the costs of education are many times unachievable. To keep a child in school, families struggle to pay the average $5 per child, with on average having 4-5 children in a household. It is reported that as of 2010 three million children were out of school, with 1 in 3 never having stepped into a school. Due to the crime over the past six years in The Congo, many of the schools have been completely destroyed and taken over by displaced individuals as a source of shelter.
“I earn 35,000 Congolese francs (about 40 dollars) per month as a civil servant of the state. Each month I have to pay 15 dollars per child to their school. I have four children. Then there is also the rent and the food. It is hard to be a parent in Congo.” -Philippe Ilunga
As a result of the six-year conflict, over 5.2 million children received no education. The majority of those that do attend school, are boys. Many girls fear that while en route to school they will be attacked, raped, or even killed by the rebels. As a result, many girls stay at home doing chores. For young boys, they are often scared to attend school because of its popular location for child abduction by the rebels.
Hubert Ilunga, an 18 year-old boy, is now a conductor on a bus, working 12 hour days. On average he makes about 2.5 USD. His parents were unable to afford to keep Ilunga in school. Looking back, he wishes he could have attended. He is worried he will never live a life of substance. He worries he will never be able to get married and have children, because he does not wish the suffering upon any child.
Children who have not studied as they grow do not know what to do.They grow up with hatred and they avenge themselves upon those that have succeeded more in life. A lack of education creates miserable people, who live in poverty and turn to crime in order to survive." -Daniel Kasongo, psychologist