Financing for equity in primary and secondary education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to schools
3. Education resources to students and families
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Introduction
In the Republic of Congo, the Ministry of Pre-Primary, Primary and Secondary Education and Literacy, established under Decree No. 2010-41, manages basic education through the central administration and decentralized departmental directorates. While responsibilities show some signs of decentralization, the administrative, financial, and pedagogical organization remains largely centralized. Under Act No. 25/95 (17 November 1995) and Order No. 278/MEFB/METP/MEPSA (20 March 2008), the State must ensure equal access and provide free, inclusive public education at the primary and secondary levels.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
No information was found on funding mechanisms from the central government to local governments that account for equity.
2. Education resources to schools
The Republic of Congo declared schooling free in 2007 to reduce household education costs by abolishing enrolment fees in public primary and secondary schools. In this regard, the State compensates schools with subsidies and provides free arithmetic and reading textbooks to students in public institutions. However, no information was found on programmes allocating funds specifically to disadvantaged schools or those serving target groups.
3. Education resources to students and families
Allocation de rentrée scolaire (Back-to-School Allowance)
According to Law 10/2012, the back-to-school allowance provides financial assistance at the start of each school year to parents with low income who have one or more school-age children. This allowance aims to help cover the costs of school supplies and related expenses to reduce the financial burden on vulnerable families and support children's access to education. Although specific regulatory details such as amounts and procedures are set by government regulations that have not been fully published, the allowance is not combinable with scholarships and forms part of broader social protection efforts to promote educational inclusion.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Allocation familiale de soutien (Family Support Allowance)
The National Social Security Fund, under Law 10/2012, provides general family allowances based on household income, as well as a supportive family allowance for the most disadvantaged parents. This benefit is granted to a Congolese mother or father with no or low income raising one or more children alone, and continues until the child turns 19. Eligibility requires an annual certificate of living and maintenance for children below school age, and an annual school or training certificate for school-age children.
5. School meal programmes
The government does not currently operate a national school meal programme. School meals are provided by international organizations, primarily financed by the World Food Programme (WFP), which began operations in 2007. By 2024, WFP managed school canteens in over 500 schools, targeting pre-primary, primary, and schools with indigenous students based on vulnerability criteria, and following established nutritional guidelines.
The WFP programme provides daily nutritious meals to thousands of primary school children, supporting their health, learning, and school attendance. Meals typically consist of rice, beans, peas, canned fish, and chicken. Initiated by the government in 2007 and continuously supported by Japan and WFP, the programme now reaches tens of thousands of students across rural and urban schools, ensuring regular access to balanced meals and contributing to broader child development and community well-being.
Alongside ongoing school feeding, the “Seeds of the Future” project is facilitating a transition to a National School Feeding Programme. This initiative strengthens access for small local producers to domestic markets, promotes the use of locally produced food in school meals, and empowers women farmers. A transitional phase has been launched in twenty-five schools, with technical manuals and stakeholder training provided to ensure effective implementation. Once fully scaled, the national programme is expected to consolidate lessons from the pilot phase, expand coverage, and ensure sustainable, locally sourced nutrition for all school-aged children.
