“Ukulwa nobandlululo nokungalingani kuyinto esemqoka [eza kuqala] eMfundweni Kazwelonke.”— Amahhovisi Kanobhala Womnyango Wezemfundo, June 12, 2014.

Sekuphele iminyaka eminingana izingane zoFakazi eDemocratic Republic of Congo (DRC) zixoshwa ezikoleni ezixhaswa ezinye izinkolo ngenxa yokungahlanganyeli ezinhlelweni zenkolo. Lokhu kubangele inkinga ngoba izikole bese zenze imithetho yazo yaba ngaphezu kwemithetho kahulumeni futhi zawashaya indiva amalungelo abafundi abangoFakazi. Iziphathimandla zaseCongo zakubona lokhu kungabi nabulungisa futhi zaqinisekisa ukuthi bonke abantu banelungelo lokuthola imfundo ngaphandle kokubandlululwa.

Izinhlangano zenkolo zenze izivumelwano nohulumeni waseCongo zokuba zixhase izikole zikahulumeni ezisezindaweni zabampofu. Lezo zivumelwano zikubeka kucace ukuthi “izingane kufanele zivikelwe emikhutsheni ekhuthaza ukubandlulula nokungabekezelelani ngokwenkolo.” Nokho, izikole ezixhaswe amasonto bezivame ukuba nemithetho eyala ukuba abafundi babe khona futhi bahlanganyele ezinhlelweni zenkolo. Eziningana kulezi zikole zaphikelela ekusebenziseni imithetho yazo, zidelela isivumelwano sazo nohulumeni kanye nelungelo labafundi lenkululeko yokukhulekela.

Le nkinga yaba sobala ngo-2005, lapho abafundi abangu-52 abangoFakazi bexoshwa esikoleni esixhaswe isonto e-Abumombazi, esiseSifundazweni Sase-Equateur, ngenxa yokuthi babecele ukungezi ezinkonzweni zesonto ezazihlelwe abaphathi besikole. Kwaba kubi nakakhulu lapho izikole ezixhaswe amasonto kwezinye izifundazwe nazo zenza okufanayo. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, abafundi abangoFakazi abangaphezu kuka-300 eCongo kuwo wonke amabanga baxoshwa, kuhlanganise ngisho nalabo abase bezophothula.

Ngemva kokuxoshwa ngokungemthetho esikoleni ngo-2009, uKanyere Ndavaro oneminyaka engu-13 wabhala: “Ave ngiphatheke kabi ngalokhu kuphazamiseka ekuphileni kwami. Angazi ukuthi ikusasa lami lizoba njani.” UKambere Mafika Justin, owaxoshwa ngaphambi nje kokuba aphothule ngo-2010, wathi “bakuphithanise ngempela” ukuphila kwami. Nakuba abafundi babephatheke kabi ngokwenqatshelwa ukufunda noma ukuthola ama-diploma, benqaba ukuyekethisa ezinkolelweni zabo.

Abazali bezingane ezaxoshwa bakhuluma nabaphathi besikole bezama ukuxazulula le nkinga kodwa kwanhlanga zimuka nomoya. Ngenxa yalokho, oFakazi badlulisela lolu daba kuziphathimandla futhi bathola izikhulu zikahulumeni ezingenzeleli, ezalwela ukuluqeda nya ubandlululo olungokwenkolo.

Ngo-2011, uNkk. Bazizane Maheshe, uNgqongqoshe Wezemfundo eSifundazweni saseNorth Kivu, wakhipha incwadi kazwelonke eyayinesihloko esithi “Ukuvinjelwa Kobandlululo Olungokwenkolo,” eyachaza lesi simo “njengesibi kakhulu.” Le ncwadi yalusingatha ngokucacile lolu daba, ngokuthi: “Abafundi bezinye izinkolo babandlululwa ngenxa yemithetho yesikole eyishaya indiva imithetho kahulumeni wase-DR Congo.”

Lolu daba lwaqashelwa ezweni lonke ngo-September 4, 2013, lapho uMwangu Famba, uNgqongqoshe Wezemfundo waseDemocratic Republic of Congo, ekhipha isinqumo esasizosebenza kuzo zonke izikole ezikuzo zonke izifunda. “Incwadi Enqabela Ubandlululo Olungokwenkolo” yasho ngokungananazi ukuthi: “Zonke izingane zinelungelo lokubhalisa kunoma isiphi isikole ngaphandle kokucwaswa ngokwenkolo.” Lesi sinqumo sachaza nokuthi ukuxoshwa kwabafundi ngenxa yenkolo yabo “kwakuzephula ngokuphelele izinqubo nemithetho yase-Democratic Republic of Congo.”

Izikole eziningi ziye zasihlonipha lesi siqondiso ezikhishwe yiziphathimandla, zabuye zabamukela abafundi abangoFakazi emakilasini. Nokho, izikole ezimbalwa zasishaya indiva lesi siqondiso. Ngenxa yalokho, ngo-June 12, 2014, uMnyango Wezemfundo washicilela incwadi eyayigcizelela isinqumo sango-September 2013 futhi iphawula ngohlaka lomthetho olusha oluphathelene nemfundo * olwalukhishwe uMongameli wase-DRC. Lesi sikhumbuzo sasingatha umnyombo wale nkinga ngokuqokomisa ukubaluleka kokulwa nobandlululo, sagcizelela nokuthi imithetho yezwe neyamazwe omhlaba kumelwe ize kuqala kunemithetho yesikole. UNgqongqoshe Wezemfundo waphinde wamisa abaseshi ababezovakashela izikole ezweni lonke ukuze baqinisekise ukuthi ziyasihlonipha lesi sinqumo. Akungabazeki ukuthi lezi zinyathelo ezithathwe uhulumeni zizoletha imiphumela emihle nehlala njalo.

Njengoba izikole zaseCongo sezenza ngokuvumelana nomthetho, bonke abafundi bangalindela ukuthola imfundo bengaphazanyiswa ukungabekezelelani ngokwenkolo. Izingane zesikole zizofunda ukuhlonipha wonke umuntu kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yini ayikholelwayo. Ngokwenza kanjalo, izikole zaseCongo ngeke zigcine ngokuhlonipha uMthetho-sisekelo wase-DRC nesinqumo sikaNgqongqoshe Wezemfundo kuphela kodwa zizobekela nentsha isibonelo sokuba nobulungisa.