Pre-Consultation Concept Paper

CONSULTATION ON THE FUTURE OF MENNONITE INVOLVEMENT IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Concept Paper
30 April 2008

This paper was developed by Pakisa Tshimika, ICOMB appointed global coordinator of the consultation, with the assistance of Dalton Reimer, ICOMB Education Facilitator. Though concern for the future of education in Congo has been a long-standing topic of conversation between Pakisa Tshimika and Dalton Reimer, the immediate stimulus for this concept paper came from an International Community of Mennonite Brethren (ICOMB) agenda setting consultation involving Victor Wall, Executive Secretary of ICOMB; Ray Harms-Wiebe, Global Program Coordinator for MBMSI, and Dalton Reimer, ICOMB Education Facilitator, on April 7, 2008. In that meeting it was agreed that Reimer would consult with Tshimika about the possibility of such an education (primary and secondary) consultation in Congo in early 2009. The following, then, provided both rationale and a plan for the development of such a possible consultation.

Overview

The Democratic Republic of Congo is a country under reconstruction after more than 30 years of dictatorship and seven years of war and conflict. There is a sense of optimism among the Congolese people and a strong desire to rebuild the country on a new and strong foundation. As one visits with the Congolese professional community, one gets a feeling of a new era in this large and potentially rich nation. In Reimer’s reflections on the situation in Congo following a visit to Congo in January 2008, he compared it to the situation in the United States after the mid-19th century Civil War.

In the 19th century post-Civil War period in the United States, the south of the country came to be characterized by some as “the new South.” While on this visit to Congo, this historic characterization of a region of the United States kept going through my mind as a way of characterizing what is happening in Congo – “the new Congo.” Congo is changing, and one sees evidence of this in ways both small (e.g. taxis are now required to be painted yellow in Kinshasa) to big (the multi-billion dollar recent development agreement with China). As in the South of the post-Civil War period, much remains uncertain about the future. But there are moments in time that represent unique opportunities for engagement and change. This is such a moment in Congo. Those who engage these moments have the opportunity to help shape the future. While this entails risk, without risk there is no future and history will pass us by.

For me, each visit to Congo has further confirmed a growing conviction that this is the time to be engaged. While we cannot match the billions of China, we can be strategic in coming alongside those on the ground who at the church and community levels are already working for change. China will likely not come alongside most of them, but we can. And that, too, can make a big difference.

It is with that commitment to engage, to seize the moment, capture the opportunities, and walk alongside those already involved on the ground in the Democratic Republic of Congo, that we should be thinking as we continue our dialogue on future involvement of Mennonites in primary and secondary education in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This engagement should be founded on the fact that the communal character of Congolese society would seem to favor associating in a variety of ways, including professionally. It might be said that as a “person is only a person through other persons,” to draw on Bishop Desmond Tutu’s characterization of the African concepts of ubtuntu, so a professional is also only a professional through other professionals.

Mennonite Involvement in Primary and Secondary Education

Mennonites in Congo have been involved in primary and secondary education for several decades. We were told in January 2008 that currently the Mennonite Brethren Conference of Congo alone has a total of 151 (86 primary and 65 secondary) schools that it co-manages with the government with a student population of 31,160 and more than 200 teachers. Most of these schools and students (23,991) are located in the Bandundu province given the historical location of the MB Conference in Congo. The remaining student population is found in Kinshasa with 7,175 students of which 3,972 (55.36%) are boys and 3,203 (44.64%) are girls.

Statistics from the Congo Mennonite Conference for 2007-2008 show that the church co-manages 179 primary schools with 40,310 students among which there are 23,823 boys (59.10%) and 16,487 girls (40.90%). The church also co-manages 107 secondary schools with 14,962 students of which 9,776 (65.34%) are boys and 5,186 (34.66) are girls.
Though we currently do not have similar figures from the smaller Evangelical Mennonite Church, which also operates similar co-managed systems, the numbers make for a sizeable student population of more than 80,000 students being educated by the Mennonite churches in Congo. Such a large student population provides a wonderful opportunity for the Mennonites in Congo to participate in shaping the future not only of the church, but also that of the region and the world.

Many students trained in Mennonite schools in the past are playing important roles in politics in Congo today – three in parliament, one ran for president, many others are serving in local government positions throughout the country. Many are pastors and teachers. Others are lawyers, business persons and the like. On the church side, many have and continue to serve well in the church in the country and outside their national borders – Nzash Lumeya has taught at MB Biblical Seminary in Fresno, and been on staff at MBMSI; Kulungu Pascal recently served as election observer in Zimbabwe on behalf of all the Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches; and Pakisa Tshimika serves as Associate General Secretary for the Mennonite World Conference, to mention just a few. A small investment in young people can go long ways.

Past involvement of Mennonites in education did not only benefit students, but it also provided opportunity for the different Mennonite groups in Congo to work together – starting from the teachers’ training school at Nyanga, where all the Mennonites sent their students, to the beginning of the first Mennonite Brethren high school in Kikwit, where all the Mennonites of the Bandundu province sent their children for study. Whereas church leaders at times had trouble cooperating in church planting, they did not fight over training the future leaders together.

One important factor that needs our attention is to recognize that the Congolese government, since the colonial period, developed a co-management system for health and education which is not found anywhere else in Africa or in the world. The churches have total freedom to organize their schools. Although the government provides the curriculum, sets policies, and pays salaries (when possible), the daily management of more than half of the schools in Congo is provided by faith communities. In addition, religion courses are required in primary and secondary schools. This co-management of primary and secondary education between the government and faith communities is what provides an opportunity for a strong engagement of the Mennonites around the world in shaping the kind of education Congolese Mennonites provide to its future leaders.

Seizing the Moment

There are several factors that make this consultation timely:
1. The country is at a critical time of its history. Many historical ties are being called into question and the civil society is redefining itself as well as its contribution to the future of the nation. This period in the life of the Congolese people is seen as a Congolese Renaissance.
2. Mennonite World Conference has been hosting an Inter-Mennonite Dialogue that provides space for the three Mennonite Conferences in Congo to discuss common issues and process new ways of relating to former and new partners worldwide.
3. According to Mennonite church leaders in Congo, they don’t have access to curriculum on Anabaptist, Mennonite, and Mennonite Brethren foundations of faith. Given the freedom to shape their religion classes, a great opportunity is available for developing and introducing curriculum adapted for primary and secondary levels and in the Congolese/African context.
4. African boys and girls are always told, “Remember Who You Are!” Part of “Who They Are” is related to their faith traditions. Several important books have been written and others are still under production which could be used to assist Mennonite churches in Congo in helping their youth to remember who they are. Among them are the MWC Shared Conviction document and the accompanying book - What we Believe Together, the MWC Global Anabaptist History Project: Africa Volume, and the MB Confession of Faith Commentary project and also the Global MB History project. All these publications have the advantage of having been written by people in their respective contexts including the African perspective.
5. The Congolese Mennonite Churches consider education to be important and a strong foundation for all the work of the church. The current economic difficulties in the country which cause education to be underfunded, even when stated as a priority by leaders, simultaneously creates an opportunity for the global Mennonite faith family to unleash the gifts more abundant among other family members.

Goal of the Consultation

The goal of the Consultation on the Future of Mennonite Involvement in Primary and Secondary Education in the Democratic Republic of Congo is to provide space for Mennonite church leaders, Congolese educators, and potential partners to discuss the challenges and opportunities for involvement in primary and secondary education and ask the question, “What can we do together for a brighter future and stronger educational foundation for future Congolese Mennonite leaders?”