Framework Law No. 14/004 (Loi-Cadre n°14/004) distinguishes formal and non-formal education. Non-formal education includes literacy, remedial schooling, vocational qualification, post-literacy (post-alphabétisation) and flexible continuing education opportunities for adults, people who have left school and people without sufficient basic education. These offers are intended to improve basic skills, employability, qualifications and entry into or re-entry into work. Further education does not include complete initial education, university studies or pure language acquisition, but it can support transitions into these areas. The Directorate-General for Non-Formal Education (Direction Générale de l’Éducation Non Formelle) develops national policies, strategies and rules and coordinates the non-formal sector. Provincial implementation and oversight offices (DIVAS) are responsible for implementation and monitoring. Depending on the offer, the Ministry of Social Affairs, Humanitarian Action and National Solidarity (Ministère des Affaires Sociales, Actions Humanitaires et Solidarité Nationale), the Ministry of Youth and Patriotic Awakening (Ministère de la Jeunesse et Éveil Patriotique) or the Ministry of Vocational Training (Ministère de la Formation Professionnelle) are also involved. State institutions, NGOs, international partners, churches and local communities supplement these structures. The National Institute of Vocational Preparation (Institut National de Préparation Professionnelle) offers short vocational modules for updating skills, employability and professional development. The courses are aimed, among others, at employees of public and private companies, managers, salaried employees and self-employed people. They take place either at the INPP or directly at the company. For the company-based route, companies need an INPP affiliation, submit an application and register participants from their staff. Employer contributions are established in Article 8 of the Labour Code (Code du travail); when the company-based route is properly arranged, participation is free for employees. Individuals and groups receive advice from the INPP, complete an identification form (fiche d’identification) and must expect provider-specific fees. The National School of Administration (ENA) also provided further education in 2026 for civil servants, other public services and the private sector. Depending on the offer, retraining, skills development, advanced training and refresher training are organized on different dates and at different costs. No nationally uniform duration or fee can be derived from this. For experienced craftspeople and workers without a conventional educational pathway, validation of prior experience (Valorisation des Acquis de l’Expérience) is creating an official recognition pathway. The VAE assesses skills acquired through work on the basis of a dossier, support, preparation and an examination before a mixed jury. The first jury met on 28 January 2026; the first cycle began on 13 September 2025. A passed examination can lead to a state certification and can be linked to the National Employment Office (ONEM) database and placement services. Fees, precise criteria and nationwide availability have not yet been fully published. Teachers also have their own continuing-training structures. The national policy for teacher training was institutionally confirmed for secondary education on 7 August 2025. The General Inspectorate of Education (IGE) and the National Teacher Training Service (SERNAFOR) have central implementation responsibilities. Access remains particularly difficult in rural and remote areas; there are also shortages of teaching materials and digital tools, problems with content relevance and limited public funding. A digital transformation framework (TICEF) was adopted on 12 June 2026, covering vocational education, literacy, non-formal education and social or humanitarian measures. It is intended to improve access, interoperability, data security, evaluation and digital skills and is aligned with the 2026–2030 strategy framework (SSIEF 2026–2030). This does not establish an individual entitlement to online further education. Recognition, financing and quality control remain major weaknesses. There is no nationwide entitlement to free further education and no uniform legal or certification status for all offers. Church- and community-based literacy, NGO and donor programs, workplace training and informal workplace learning can be practical alternatives. Local languages play a central role in literacy without this creating a separate language-learning track. A dashboard of the Ministry of Vocational Training reported 15,996 current learners, 2,823 institutions, 12,587 teachers and 3,868 registered VAE candidates on 6 September 2026. These figures come from an administrative dashboard and do not prove independent nationwide coverage.
Further Education in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Further education in the Democratic Republic of the Congo includes organized or self-directed learning opportunities alongside or after initial education or employment. The system is fragmented: continuing education (formation continue), continuing vocational education (formation professionnelle continue), non-formal education (éducation non formelle), literacy, vocational courses and informal learning are offered by state bodies, companies, NGOs and local institutions. There is no nationally uniform access or certification status; costs, duration, recognition and accessibility depend on the provider and location.
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