Congo Education Consultation, June 2009

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY OF MENNONITE BRETHREN

HISTORIC CONSULTATION ON EDUCATION IN CONGO
Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

An historic international consultation on the enhancement of primary and secondary education in Mennonite Schools of the Democratic Republic of Congo was held from May 19 – 21 of this year in Kinshasa, the capital of Congo.

Leading educators from each of the three national Mennonite conferences in Congo, led by their national church presidents, came together in this consultation. Some fourteen persons represented each national conference. The Evangelical Mennonite Church delegation was led by president Reverend Mubenga wa Kabana, the Mennonite Church delegation by president Reverend Dr. Adolphe Komuesa Kalunga, and the Mennonite Brethren by president Reverend Damien Pelende. Also in attendance were several North American observer participants associated with Mama Makeka House of Hope directed by Pakisa Tshimika, along with Victor Wall, Executive Secretary of the International Community of Mennonite Brethren, from Paraguay.

The purpose of the consultation was to explore how the several hundred Mennonite primary and secondary schools in Congo might be strengthened. For three full mornings participants listened to opening meditations followed by plenary speakers representing the national government office of education, the national education divisions of the Catholic and Protestant churches of Congo, and Mennonite educational leaders. These speakers addressed the history of education in Congo, its present state, and finally present needs and opportunities for development.

Afternoons were given to workshops on a series of pertinent issues identified by the planning committee. After introductory comments on the theme of a workshop, participants engaged in vigorous discussion followed by resolutions for action in regard to each theme. One of the first workshops focused on the question of how to integrate Mennonite history and doctrine into the Mennonite educational system in Congo. Another focused on teaching Mennonite/Anabaptist ethics and values. Still another focused on what is needed for a Mennonite model school. Other workshop themes focused on the role of chaplains in the schools, technology, creating an inter-Mennonite partnership in education in Congo, how to finance Mennonite schools, and the like.

Mennonite schools in Congo, as also in other faith communities, are uniquely co-managed with the government, but with total religious freedom. The government establishes the curriculum in most areas of instruction, but each faith community is free to establish its own curriculum in the area of religious instruction. The government also pays salaries, as it is able, which is usually less than required. Hence, teachers struggle to survive. Faith communities are obligated to provide school buildings, secure personnel – headmasters, teachers, chaplains and staff, and generally manage the schools.

In the Mennonite world, there is no comparable education system. The three national Mennonite conferences in Congo operate more than three hundred primary and secondary schools with a student population of more than fifty thousand. Mennonite churches in Congo, as a whole, constitute the second largest national Mennonite community in the global Mennonite family.

The consultation developed initially out of conversations between Pakisa Tshimika and the three national church presidents in Congo. Tshimika was appointed for this task by the International Community of Mennonite Brethren (ICOMB). Given the enthusiastic response of the national church leaders in Congo, a local planning committee was appointed by these leaders, who then planned the program in consultation with Tshimika. Rev. Florent Mwaku Kinana S., coordinator of the Mennonite Brethren schools in the Kinshasa region, chaired the planning committee. Other members were Rev. Crispin Kikanji, Maurice Matsitsa, and Albert Mbuyi, representing all three of the national conferences. Later Tim Lind was appointed to represent Mennonite World Conference on the committee.

A major seed grant to finance the consultation was provided by the AIMS Education Foundation located on the campus of Fresno Pacific University in California. Mennonite World Conference also provided a major grant, and partnered with ICOMB as global sponsors of the consultation. Mennonite Brethren Missions and Services, International (MBMSI) and Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) also contributed.

The current status of schools in Congo is the result, in part, of a tragic history. As reported in the consultation, in 1973 the national government of Congo expropriated all the church schools in Congo, including Mennonite schools. But the government failed in its operation of the schools, and in 1976 the government gave the schools back to the churches. But what the church received back from the government were schools that during this three-year period had been ransacked and depleted of their resources. Since then, schools, though crowded with students, often three squeezed together on a bench-desk designed for two, have largely remained in disrepair and devoid of even basic resources such as adequate desks and student textbooks. Simultaneously, Mennonite mission and service agencies have moved on to other agendas and schools begun during the missionary era have been left with few global advocates and external support. Yet, the church in Congo has carried on as best it is able.

In a strong affirmation of the consultation, Professor Andre Masiala ma Solo, former coordinator for primary and secondary schools of the Protestant churches of Congo, noted in his plenary address that “the level of a country is a reflection of the level of its education. Education is the foundation of development. Educate, or perish.” In concluding his presentation, he challenged consultation participants to work so that the Mennonite system of education will become a model for Congo.

Rev. Lala Unsi Libay, the current national coordinator of primary and secondary schools of the Protestant churches of Congo, provided a detailed history of the development of the Protestant system of education in Congo. He noted that Protestant schools during the colonial period were among the best in the country. In speaking of the future, he began with a vision of Protestant schools that will lead children and youth to accept Jesus as Savior and Lord.

Veteran Mennonite educator, Wilson Mahenzi Masema, senior lecturer at the Teachers College in Kikwit, and recently also vice-mayor of Kikwit, a city of some 600,000 people, gave the final plenary address. In his address he outlined a series of critical strategies needed to create a model school. Given the overwhelming challenge of upgrading all schools, a leading resolution of the consultation was for each of the national conferences to establish perhaps two or three model schools as a beginning.

Reverend Dr. Adolphe Komuesa Kalunga, president of the Mennonite Church of Congo, spoke for all three national presidents in concluding the consultation. He expressed thanks to the International Community of Mennonite Brethren and Mennonite World Conference, the three national churches, educational representatives of the churches, all government and church officials who contributed, and representatives from the United States for their respective roles in the consultation. He encouraged participants to implement the recommendations of the consultation, and to forward greetings to local churches as participants returned to their home communities.

In a post-consultation meeting of the three national presidents, the planning committee, global coordinator Tshimika along with Victor Wall and Dalton Reimer, ICOMB executive director and ICOMB education coordinator, respectively, Maurice Matsitsa of the planning committee noted that the objectives for the consultation had been achieved. Rev. Crispin Kikanji observed that the consultation “took us back in history” and was very helpful in bringing Mennonites together again in a kind of reunion. Others expressed their happiness at what had happened. Albert Mbuyi noted that of all those invited, only one had not been present, and that was for logistical complications and not desire. Victor Wall affirmed the importance of church and school working together.

As a final act, the three national church presidents affirmed the continuation of the planning committee as a follow-up committee. Initial follow-up steps were outlined, and now serve as the Congolese base for moving forward. As Rev. Komuesa, president of the Mennonite Church, summarized, some things can be done locally, and some things depend on partners.

Reports will be made to both the International Committee of Mennonite Brethren and Mennonite World Conference in Paraguay, and a global base for follow-up also discerned.
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Pictures of the consultation may be accessed on the internet at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rjf_photo/sets/72157619441430379/