EDUCATION WORKING PAPER No. 5 | SEPTEMBER 2024 An Assessment of Digital Readiness of Secondary Schools in the Democratic Republic of Congo Christiane Voufo, Frederico Carvalho, Leonce Kazumba, Raїssa Malu, and Yevgeniya Savchenko © 2024 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank 1818 H Street NW Washington DC 20433 Telephone: 202-473-1000 Email: AskEd@worldbank.org Internet: www.worldbank.org/en/topic/education This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. 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Because The World Bank encourages dissemination of its knowledge, this work may be reproduced, in whole or in part, for noncommercial purposes as long as full attribution to this work is given. Any queries on rights and licenses, including subsidiary rights, should be addressed to World Bank Publications, The World Bank Group, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA; fax: 202-522-2625; e-mail: pubrights@worldbank.org. Cover design: Marianne Siblini TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......................................................................................................................... iii SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................................. iv 1. COUNTRY CONTEXT ............................................................................................................................ 1 2. INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY INTO EDUCATION IN THE DRC .............................................................. 4 KEY STRATEGIES AND STAKEHOLDER ROLES ....................................................................................... 4 3. OVERVIEW OF THE SECONDARY EDUCATION SYSTEM ....................................................................... 6 4a. ANALYSIS OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS’ DIGITAL READINESS: Enabling Environment ........................ 11 ACCESSIBILITY OF SCHOOLS.............................................................................................................. 11 ACCESS TO BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE ................................................................................................ 14 ACCESS TO DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND DEVICES ...................................................................... 17 4b. ANALYSIS OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS’ DIGITAL READINESS: School Capacity ................................. 37 QUALITY AND RELIABILITY OF CLASSROOMS ................................................................................... 37 AVAILABILITY OF SCHOOL EQUIPMENT ............................................................................................ 38 SCHOOL MANAGEMENT ................................................................................................................... 40 4c. ANALYSIS OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS’ DIGITAL READINESS: Teachers and Digital Competences..... 42 TEACHER CAPACITY ........................................................................................................................... 42 DIGITAL LITERACY ............................................................................................................................. 45 DIGITAL LEARNING MATERIALS......................................................................................................... 52 5. ASSESSMENT OF READINESS FOR DIGITAL SKILLS ............................................................................ 55 6. RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................................................................... 58 ENABLING ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................................................... 58 SCHOOL CAPACITY ............................................................................................................................ 60 TEACHERS AND DIGITAL COMPETENCES .......................................................................................... 62 REFERENCES ......................................................................................................................................... 65 Figures Figure 1: Trends in high-technology exports and ICT exports and imports, 2015–20 ............................ 3 Figure 2: Share of public secondary schools, by province ...................................................................... 7 Figure 3: Secondary net enrollment rates, by gender and province ...................................................... 9 Figure 4: Secondary net enrollment rates for children with disabilities, by gender ............................ 10 Figure 5: Percentage of public secondary schools in rural and urban settings, by province ................ 11 Figure 6: Distance to public secondary schools, by setting and province ............................................ 12 Figure 7: Percentage of public secondary schools that are difficult to access, by province................. 13 Figure 8: Distribution of obstacles faced by public secondary schools, by CPF province..................... 14 Figure 9: Percentage of households with access to electricity, by province ........................................ 16 Figure 10: Provincial disparities in access to basic infrastructure in the DRC ...................................... 17 Figure 11: Households with access to digital devices and the internet, by province........................... 28 Figure 12: Access to digital devices and the internet among 15—19 and 18—49-year-olds, by gender and disability .................................................................................................................... 30 Figure 13: Percentage of the population ages 15–49 with access to digital infrastructure and devices, by gender ..................................................................................................................... 31 Figure 14: Percentage of the population with access to digital resources, by gender and province ... 32 Figure 15: Availability of devices in secondary schools, by province (10 CPF) ..................................... 33 Figure 16: Distribution of digital devices through PEQPESU, by province............................................ 33 Figure 17: Percentage of public secondary schools covered by a mobile network, by province ......... 34 Figure 18: Distribution of the percentage of mobile networks near schools, by telecommunications company and province (10 CPF) ................................................................ 35 Figure 19: Percentage of classrooms in good condition, by construction type and province .............. 37 Figure 20: Distribution of ratio of student to classroom in good condition, by province .................... 39 Figure 21: Ratio of students to single-person chairs, by province (10 CPF) ......................................... 39 Figure 22: Distribution of teachers, by qualification and province ...................................................... 43 Figure 23: Ratio of students to minimally qualified teachers across provinces ................................... 44 Figure 24: Ratio of girls to minimally qualified teachers across provinces, by gender......................... 45 Figure 25: Mapping of secondary ICT curriculum to DigComp2.2........................................................ 47 Figure 26: Percentage of population ages 15–49 with ICT skills, by gender and task .......................... 48 i Figure 27: Percentage of population ages 15–19 in the DRC with digital skills, by gender and DigComp2.2 competence domain ............................................................................................ 49 Figure 28: Percentage of population ages 18—49 in the DRC with digital skills, by gender, disability, and DigComp2.2 competence domain ............................................................................. 50 Figure 29: Percentage of population ages 15–49 in the DRC with digital skills, by gender, DigComp2.2 competence domain and province .............................................................................. 51 Figure 30: Province digital readiness scores ......................................................................................... 56 Tables Table 1: Key takeaways from identified key factors ................................................................................ v Table 2: General secondary school information for 10 CPF provinces ................................................... 7 Table 3: Pricing of mobile broadband products ................................................................................... 36 Table 4: List of subcategories used for the readiness the calculation of the digital readiness scores ..........56 Boxes Box 1: Mapping the updated secondary school ICT curriculum to the DigComp2.2 Digital Competence Framework....................................................................................................... 46 Box 2: Assessment of digital skills among population ages 15–49 in the DRC, by gender and setting ........48 Box 3: Assessment of digital skills among population ages 15–19, 15–49, and 18—49 in the DRC, by gender and DigComp2.2 competence domain ........................................................................... 49 ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This World Bank Working Paper was prepared by Christiane Voufo ∗, Frederico Carvalho ∗, Leonce Kazumba ∗, Raїssa Malu !, and Yevgeniya Savchenko ∗. Kokou Sefako Amelewonou, Sandra Tawa, and Roger Vibila provided important information and documents. Souleymane Diabate provided support with French translations. Patricia Orna provided administrative support. The authors are grateful to Meskerem Mulatu, Muna Meky, Alex Twinomugisha, and Bob Hawkins for invaluable advice and guidance. We also thank the Government of the DRC, including representatives of Ministry of National Education and New Citizenship, Ministry of Higher Education, Ministry of Communication and Media, Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and New Information and Communication Technology, Ministry of ICT, Department of Archives and New Information and Communication Technologies, the World Bank Education Technology Thematic Group, and other Mastercard Foundation grant recipients for invaluable feedback and suggestions for the paper. The authors acknowledge the financial support received from the Mastercard Foundation. This report was edited by Michael Alwan. ∗ Education Global Practice, Africa Eastern and Southern Region, World Bank ! Ministry of National Education and Citizenship, Democratic Republic of the Congo iii SUMMARY This paper aims to assess the readiness of public secondary schools across different provinces in the DRC to adopt technology that supports the development of digital skills 3. To this end, nine key factors that influence schools’ ability to effectively develop students’ digital skills were identified and assessed to determine digital readiness. These include accessibility of schools, access to basic infrastructure, access to digital infrastructure and devices, quality and reliability of classrooms, availability of school equipment, school management, teacher capacity, digital literacy, and the availability of digital learning materials. These nine key factors have been organized into three categories: enabling environment, school capacity, and teachers and digital competences; the main takeaways from each key factor are summarized in Table 1. Most of the analytical work is focused on 10 provinces of the DRC Country Partnership Framework (Ituri, Kasai, Kasai-Central, Kasai- Oriental, Kinshasa, Kongo-Central, Kwilu, Lomami, North-Kivu, and South-Kivu) (World Bank Group, 2022). Results from this analytical work showed that most schools across provinces lack the necessary conditions and need support in creating an enabling environment for the development of digital skills namely through increasing schools’ accessibility, along with access to basic digital infrastructure like connectivity and electricity. Additionally, many schools do not have enough basic equipment like chairs, tables, classrooms or teacher, to accommodate the growing population of secondary school students. Equipment deficiencies are exacerbated by the general lack of ICT resources and school management competencies, qualified teachers and digital learning materials. Addressing these constraints will be critical 3 Digital Skills: These refer to the abilities required to effectively use digital devices, communication applications, and networks to access and manage information. They include basic skills such as operating a computer or mobile device, using the internet to find information, and communicating online, as well as more advanced skills like coding, data analysis, and cybersecurity (Vuorikari et al., 2022). iv to equip students with skills necessary to further advance their educational career, to facilitate the transition to the labor market and to join the global digital economy. Assessing these constraints is crucial for understanding the readiness of each province to adopt technology in schools for the development of digital skills. Out of the 10 CPF provinces, the 5 provinces with the lowest lower secondary school net enrollment rates (Kasai, Kasai-Central, Kasai-Oriental, South-Kivu, and Ituri, which are also the focus of the of the DRC Girls Learning and Empowerment Project (French: projet d'apprentissage et d'autonomisation des filles [PAAF])) were scored across 18 key factors subcategories identified as crucial to the development of an enabling environment for the acquisition of digital skills; section 5 presents the results. The paper concludes with policy recommendations to strengthen preparedness of secondary schools in DRC for imparting digital skills. Table 1: Key takeaways from identified key factors Enabling environment Digital infrastructure and Accessibility of schools Basic infrastructure devices • 61 percent of public • 7 percent of public schools • 76 percent of public schools are in rural have access to electricity. schools are covered by at settings (except in • 42 percent have access to least one mobile network, Kinshasa), of which 34 a water point. but data service is not percent are 5–10 km away • 80 percent have access to assured. from students. By latrines. • The high cost of mobile contrast, 21 percent of • Provinces with more public data makes it hard for public schools in urban schools in urban settings, schools to access and use settings are 0–1 km away like Kinshasa, are faring data. from students. better than most. • Through the Projet • Remoteness makes getting d’Education pour la Qualité to schools incredibly hard et la Pertinence des and often unsafe due to Enseignements aux bad roads and armed Niveaux Secondaire et gangs. Universitaire (PEQPESU), 799 desktops and 9,975 laptops were distributed to approximately 291 public secondary schools across 18 provinces. However, with 29,631 public v secondary schools in the DRC that lack sufficient computers, this is not enough. School capacity Quality and reliability of Availability of school School management classrooms equipment • Across all provinces, only • Classrooms in most • There is a lack of data on 47 percent of classrooms provinces are the digital skills of school in good condition are overcrowded; Kasai- administrator and made of permanent Oriental has the highest management staff. materials: 24 percent are student-teacher ratio at • The lack of a national made of semi-hard 79:1. electronic education material, 18 percent are • Most classrooms do not management information made of clay, and 11 have enough chairs in system (E-EMIS) presents a percent are made of good condition to challenge for school straw/foliage. accommodate the number administrators and the • 45.6 percent of public of students. In provinces government to make schools’ latrines are made like Kasai-Oriental, the informed decisions of straw/leaves. ratio of students to chairs concerning the digital in good condition is only readiness of the education 76:1. system. • The Ministry of National Education and New Citizenship (MNENC) 4 is preparing a strategy on ICT/EdTech in Education Teachers and digital competences Teacher capacity Digital literacy Digital learning materials • 70 percent of secondary • There is a substantial • Some progress in creating teachers do not have a gender gap in digital and distributing digital post-secondary degree, literacy. Males ages 15–49 learning materials was which is the minimum are 3.6 times more likely made during COVID-19 requirement to teach in to have some digital with support of the secondary schools in DRC. literacy than females of PEQPESU project. • Nationally, the student-to- the same age group. Additionally, curriculum qualified-teacher ratio is Similarly, boys ages 15-19 revisions for science, 39.4. Particularly high are 2.7 times more likely technology, engineering, ratios occur in provinces than their female and mathematics (STEM) like Lomami, reaching 96.2 counterparts to possess subjects placed a strong students per teacher. some digital skills. emphasis on the integration of technology 4 The Ministry of National Education and New Citizenship, previously known as the Ministry of Primary, Secondary, and Technical Education, was renamed in July 2024 following the appointment of the new Minister of State in charge of Education, Dr. Raïssa Malu. vi • Gender exacerbates the • This gender gap persists to support the learning issue, with provinces like across the urban-rural objectives and facilitate Kasai-Central having 689.9 divide. comprehension. girls per female teacher • Kinshasa has the largest • Despite these efforts, and 97.4 girls per male share of population ages survey by UNICEF and Save teacher. 15-49, who are digitally the Children showed that • literate, however, it also between 60 and 80 has the widest gender gap. percent of secondary school students reported not having access to online learning material during the pandemic. vii 1. COUNTRY CONTEXT While the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is abundant with natural resources, the level of human capital is low compared to the rest of the world. DRC is the second-largest country in Africa, endowed with an abundance of natural resources, such as the second- largest rain forest in the world and the world’s largest cobalt reserves (World Bank, 2024; Government of Canada, 2023). Over 50 percent of the world's known reserves of cobalt is in the DRC, which is also responsible for 73 percent of the global supply (Cobalt Institute, 2023a; Cobalt Institute, 2023b). Despite this abundance, weak governance and institutions, mismanagement of resources, and incessant conflict are hampering the country’s progress in human capital. DRC ranked 164 out of 174 countries on the 2020 Human Capital Index (HCI), with a HCI of 37 out of 100 (World Bank, 2023a). The country’s low HCI is accompanied by a staggering 73 percent of the population living in extreme poverty, a gender development index of 89 percent, and a 43 percent stunting rate (UNICEF, 2022; UNDP, 2024). In addition, the quality of education in DRC is poor, leading to 18-year-olds having only completed 4.5, quality adjusted, years of school as opposed to the expected 9 (World Bank, 2023a). Furthermore, 97 percent of children in the DRC are unable to read and understand a simple by age 10, highlighting a significant gap in foundational skills necessary for the development of digital competencies (World Bank, 2022a). Many factors contribute to the low rates of secondary school enrollment, including, but not limited to, high occurrence of gender-based violence (GBV), poor basic school infrastructure, and the real and perceived high opportunity and direct costs associated with sending a child to school (Adelman et al., 2021). Girls are especially affected by these factors, as reflected by their lower net enrollment rates (NER) compared to their male counterparts. In lower secondary schools, the NER for girls is 31 percent and 32 for boys (MICS, 2019). In upper secondary schools, the gap is wider with an NER of 33 for girls and 36 for boys (MICS, 2019). In provinces like Kasai – that has the lowest NER – girls’ net 1 enrollment rate is as low as 3.1 percent in lower secondary school and 14.3 percent in upper secondary, compared to 26.3 percent and 15.2 percent for lower and upper secondary, respectively, for their male counterparts (MICS, 2019). Contributing to this disparity are the high rates of GBV among women and girls. Overall, in the DRC, 52 percent of women ages 15–49 have been victims of physical violence and 27 percent of sexual violence (World Bank, 2023b). Of all young women ages 15–19, 38 percent have experienced physical violence, 16 percent have experienced sexual violence, 40—80 percent of out-of-school girls are either married or cohabitating, and 23.4 percent have at least one child or are pregnant (World Bank, 2023b; Adelman et al., 2021). With 34 percent of schools being 5—10 km (1—2 hours walk) from students, further exposes girls to the risk of GBV on their way to school (MNENC, 2020a; Adelman et al., 2021). The high prevalence of GBV and early marriages are facilitated by harmful social norms that feed the idea that sending girls to school is a luxury, while sending boys is an investment (Adelman et al., 2021). The DRC is the largest exporter of some of the key raw materials used in the development of technology but has one of the lowest tech adoption rates in the world. Since the development of their national digital strategy in 2019, projects were implemented to increase e-commerce within the country, but these efforts did not yield much success due to limitations in digital infrastructure and skills (World Bank Group, 2020). Despite this, there is a blooming digital startup ecosystem within the country that is concentrated in urban settings like Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, and Goma (World Bank Group, 2020). The ICT market in Africa has grown from US$95.4 billion in 2020, to an estimated US$104.2 billion in 2023 (African Development Bank Group, 2023). However, in the DRC the ICT and high-technology sectors are underperforming, making up only 0.008 percent and 0.5 percent of the country’s total goods exports, respectively (Figure 1). As the second-greatest export of the DRC, just behind refined copper, cobalt is invaluable to the green transition; 57 percent of its end use on the market goes to lithium-ion batteries that are found in most of today’s smartphones (Cheng et al., 2024). The global market value of cobalt stood at US$10 billion in 2022, while that of lithium-ion batteries and smartphones stood at US$42.6 and US$484.8 billion, 2 respectively (OEC, 2022; Valuates Reports, 2023; Fortune Business Insights, 2024). The DRC’s continued dependence on its raw minerals is not likely to lead to the transformations in its economy and human capital needed for its sustainable development, underscoring the importance of developing the digital skills needed to tap into the growing ICT market within the region. Figure 1: Trends in high-technology exports and ICT exports and imports, 2015–20 Source: World Bank Group, World Development Indicators, 2015–20. 3 2. INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY INTO EDUCATION IN THE DRC KEY STRATEGIES AND STAKEHOLDER ROLES Integrating technology into the DRC's education system is a challenging task that will require a holistic approach and meticulous planning and execution. The process involves addressing significant logistical, infrastructural, and educational barriers. Strategic planning will be essential to navigate these complexities, ensure the alignment of various initiatives, and optimize resource utilization to achieve the desired educational outcomes. To understand how these elements come together, it is important to consider the broader vision, and the steps needed to achieve it. The Government of the DRC envisions an inclusive and quality education system that significantly contributes to national development, peace promotion, and democratic citizenship. This vision is encapsulated in the Stratégie Sectorielle de l’Education et de la Formation 2016-2025 (SSEF), adopted in 2015 (MNENC et al., 2015). The strategy aims to foster a more equitable education system, support growth and employment, ensure quality education, and establish transparent and effective governance. Achieving this vision will require: 1) assessing the current situation, 2) setting long-term goals, 3) engaging stakeholders, 4) allocating resources, and 5) continuous monitoring. These steps, with an emphasis on steps 1 and 3, are vital to creating an environment where the integration of technology can significantly enhance educational outcomes. Stakeholder engagement must be multi-level, occurring at local, national, and international levels. The Ministry of National Education and New Citizenship, along with the Ministry of Post, Telecommunications and New Information and Communication Technology, The Ministry of Higher Education, the Ministry of Communication and Media, and the Ministry of ICT, will all play a pivotal role in this process, setting policies, developing curricula, and overseeing the integration of technology in schools, with a strong focus on teacher training. Development agencies, such as UNICEF, contribute by providing technical support, resources, and funding, while also engaging in community outreach. Multilateral 4 Development Banks, including the World Bank and the African Development Bank, offer financial assistance, technical expertise, and strategic guidance. Their global experience provides valuable insights for successful implementation in the DRC. Additionally, engaging parents, students, and local leaders ensures that technological initiatives are culturally relevant and accepted, by assisting in the identification of specific needs and challenges. 5 3. OVERVIEW OF THE SECONDARY EDUCATION SYSTEM The education system in the DRC is organized into two subsystems: conventional schools and non-conventional schools. Most schools in the DRC are conventional, public and located in rural areas. All public schools are managed by the government, but public schools that are part of the conventional school subsystem are managed by the government and faith-based organizations (Briand and Nicolai, 2021). 24,857 secondary schools in the DRC are conventional (77 percent) and enroll 77 percent of the student population, which totals to 6,709,706 (MNENC, UNESCO, and World Bank, 2021). Most secondary schools are public (84 percent) and enroll 83 percent of total students. There is a large variation in share of public schools in DRC by province (Figure 2), for example, with Kwilu having the highest share at 10.7 percent and Bas-Uele – the lowest at 1.2 percent. Majority of schools in DRC (66 percent) are in rural settings, followed by 25 percent in urban settings and 9 percent in semi-rural. There are a total of 453,954 secondary teachers in the DRC and 84 percent of them work in public secondary schools (MNENC, UNESCO, and World Bank, 2021). 6 Figure 2: Share of public secondary schools, by province Sources: MNENC, UNESCO, and World Bank, 2021. The share of female teachers is low (19 percent), and boys are more likely to be enrolled in secondary school than girls. For every 100 public secondary school teachers in the DRC, only 19 are female (MNENC, UNESCO, and World Bank, 2021). Of the 5.6 million students enrolled in public secondary schools, 58 percent are boys and 42percent are girls (MNENC, UNESCO, and World Bank, 2021). Data on the number of public secondary schools, teachers, and students in the 10 CPF provinces are summarized in Table 2. Table 2: General secondary school information for 10 CPF provinces No. of No. of Female Male Female Male public private Province students students teachers teachers schools schools Ituri 100,005 118,431 2,054 12,159 873 136 Kasaï 107,619 167,098 3,000 17,995 1,672 63 Kasaï-Central 118,835 213,558 2,587 17,329 1,513 98 Kasaï-Oriental 73,259 107,003 931 6,815 411 193 Kinshasa 306,299 292,505 6,501 29,126 905 1,169 7 Kongo-Central 160,734 190,436 4,200 20,896 1,219 399 Kwilu 246,880 275,979 15,120 43,525 2,907 46 Lomami 136,790 200,111 2,557 14,276 1,216 76 North-Kivu 229,314 264,911 4,512 28,303 1,711 354 South-Kivu 208,305 243,324 2,729 23,406 1,609 443 Sources: MNENC, UNESCO, and World Bank, 2021. With an annual population growth rate of 3.2 percent, the DRC has one of fastest-growing populations in the world (World Bank, 2022b). Despite the DRC’s growing youth population, many remain out of school and few finish school. Learning poverty remains very high in the country. The primary completion rate for girls and boys stood at 79 percent and 86 percent in 2021, respectively (UIS, 2021). The completion rate for lower secondary school is even lower, standing at 51.4 percent and 63.5 percent for girls and boys, respectively (UIS, 2021). With a learning poverty rate of 97 percent, these low completion rates are alarming (World Bank, 2022a). This is especially true for girls, 64.1 percent of whom are out of school with a learning poverty rate of 96.9 percent, compared to 62.3 percent of boys out of school with a learning poverty rate of 96.3 percent (World Bank, 2022). Despite the growing net enrollment rate gender parity index at both the lower and upper secondary school levels in the DRC, there remains significant gender gaps in secondary school net enrollment rates. The median net enrollment rate gender parity index in the DRC is 0.94 and 0.9 for lower and upper secondary schools, respectively (MICS, 2019). However, the median net enrollment rate for girls is 23 and 19 percent for lower and upper secondary, respectively, compared to a 26 and 29 percent median net lower and upper secondary enrollment rates, respectively, for boys (MICS, 2019). Net enrollment rates vary widely across provinces, and in provinces like Maindombe, Mongala, and Haut-Uele, among others, girls have a higher lower secondary school net enrollment rate than their male counterparts, which is the opposite in provinces like Kasai, Sankuru, and Tshopo (Figure 3) (MICS, 2019). In upper secondary schools, fewer provinces report a higher net enrollment rate for girls compared to boys, whereas provinces like Maniema, Kasai-Oriental, and Tshopo report a higher net enrollment rate for boys than girls (Figure 3) (MICS, 2019). The gender gap in net 8 enrollment rates persists among children with disabilities with girls lagging boys at both lower and upper secondary levels, although children with disabilities have an overall lower net enrollment rate than children without disabilities (Figure 4) (MICS, 2019). Figure 3: Secondary net enrollment rates, by gender and province Source: MICS, 2019 9 Figure 4: Secondary net enrollment rates for children with disabilities, by gender Source: MICS, 2019 10 4a. ANALYSIS OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS’ DIGITAL READINESS: Enabling Environment ACCESSIBILITY OF SCHOOLS Public secondary schools comprise most schools in the DRC, with 22,639 (77 percent) in rural settings and 4,253 (14 percent) in urban settings. All provinces have 60–90 percent of their schools in rural settings, except for Kinshasa with only 8 percent of its schools in rural areas (Figure 5). Distance represents a challenge in accessing schools with over one third of schools in both rural (34 percent) and urban (39.6 percent) settings are located far away (5– 10 km) from where students reside (Figure 6). For most schools in rural settings, travel distance is a serious problem, and it has a greater impact on the attendance of girls. When schools are less than 1 km away from a household, 22 percent of girls versus 18 percent of boys are out of school (Adelman et al., 2021). When this distance increases to 5–10 km, girls become 1.4 times more likely to be out of school than boys (58 percent of girls out of school versus 42 percent of boys) (Adelman et al., 2021). Figure 5: Percentage of public secondary schools in rural and urban settings, by province Source: MNENC, 2020a. 11 Figure 6: Distance to public secondary schools, by setting and province Source: MNENC, 2020a. Besides the need to travel, students face other obstacles on their way to school. Girls are especially vulnerable to a range of obstacles. Most schools are only accessible by roads which are often in poor condition and threatened by the presence of armed gangs— conditions that pose a risk of exposure to physical and sexual violence for girls (Adelman et al., 2021). Overall in the DRC, 42 percent of public secondary schools are difficult to access. Across provinces, 25 to 67 percent of schools are easily accessible, except for Kinshasa where 90 percent of public secondary schools are accessible (Figure 7). Poor accessibility is due in part to the presence of multiple obstacles like bad roads, mountains, and armed gangs (Figure 8). Currently, 58 percent of schools in the DRC are difficult to access because 12 of such obstacles (MNENC, 2020a). For provinces like Kinshasa, the biggest obstacle to school access is the presence of armed gangs, which constitute 39 percent of all obstacles to school attendance in the province. North-Kivu’s biggest obstacle to school attendance is the presence of bad roads and armed gangs, which constitute 37 percent of all obstacles to schools in the province. Figure 7: Percentage of public secondary schools that are difficult to access, by province Source: MNENC, 2020a. 13 Figure 8: Distribution of obstacles faced by public secondary schools, by CPF province Source: MNENC, 2020a. ACCESS TO BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE Of the 10 million households in the DRC only 1.6 million have access to electricity, making the DRC the third-largest population in the world without access to electricity, with only 0.2 percent of rural households with access to electricity vs 47 percent of urban households (World Bank, 2020; MICS, 2019). Out of 147 countries, the DRC ranks 95 in electricity production, producing 13,190 GWh (1.5 GW)5 of electricity in 2021 from 100 percent hydropower (IEA, 2021a). Compared to Denmark, a country similar in size and population density to the DRC which ranked 67 and produced 2.5 times more electricity in 2021 from a mix of sources (54 percent from wind), the DRC should be producing more electricity (IEA, 2021a; IEA, 2021b). The DRC benefits from the low cost of electricity production through hydropower (5 cent USD/kWh) and access to potential hydropower 5 GWh (gigawatt-hour) is a unit of energy representing the amount of electricity generated or consumed over the course of one hour. To convert gigawatt-hours to gigawatts (GW), which is a unit of power representing the rate of energy production or consumption independent of time, the total GWh is divided by the number of hours in a year (8,760 for a non-leap year) (Stein, 2024). 14 sources, like the Inga Falls. Hydropower puts the country in a favorable position to produce up to 100 GW of electricity, 66 times more electricity than it produced in 2021 and 26 times more than what Denmark produced in the same year (World Bank, 2020). This would more than satisfy the 5,000 GWh of unmet demand (World Bank, 2020). Although efforts have been made to create large hydropower plants at the site of the Inga Falls through the Inga 3 project, progress has been slow and has diverted resources that could support the development of small and medium-sized hydropower plants (World Bank, 2020). This disparity in access to electricity persists at the level of schools, especially along the urban-rural divide. Since 73 percent of private schools in the DRC are in urban settings and 67 percent of public schools in rural settings, they will be used as a proxy to measure the disparity in access to electricity across the urban-rural divide. Schools in urban settings are 6.6 times more likely to have access to electricity than schools in rural settings - 46 percent of schools in urban settings (private schools) vs 7 percent of schools in rural settings (public schools) (Figure 10). This presents a significant constraint to develop digital skills in public schools in rural settings. Across the 10 CPF provinces, an average of 14 out of 100 households have access to electricity via an electrical grid, while an additional 8 out of 100 households use alternative off-grid sources such as generators and solar panels. Consequently, 78 out of 100 households have no access to electricity (Figure 9) (MICS, 2019). Of these 10 provinces and others, Kinshasa has the highest share of households and schools with access to electricity (Figure 9 and 10). However, greater access to electricity does not always equate to reliable access to electricity. This is especially true in Kinshasa, where service quality and reliability is quite poor (World Bank, 2020). 15 Figure 9: Percentage of households with access to electricity, by province Source: MICS, 2019 The poor access to quality and reliable electricity is accompanied by a lack of access to drinking water and well-constructed latrines. Sixty-eight percent of schools in urban settings have access to water, which goes down to 42 percent for schools in rural settings (Figure 10). Ninety-two percent of schools in urban settings have access to latrines, which goes down to 80 percent for schools in rural settings (Figure 10). In Kinshasa, 95 percent of schools have latrines, but 45.6 percent of these latrines are made of straw/foliage, which can pose security and hygiene problems for young girls (MNENC, UNESCO, and World Bank, 2021). This is especially true for adolescent girls who tend to stay home during menstruation, due to a lack of secure, gender-separated latrines (Adelman et al., 2021). 16 Figure 10: Provincial disparities in access to basic infrastructure in the DRC Source: MNENC, UNESCO, & World Bank, 2021. ACCESS TO DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND DEVICES The digital infrastructure in the DRC is severely underdeveloped. As of 2017 the rate of internet utilization in the DRC stood at 9 percent. Although utilization increased to 23 percent in 2021, it still lags the average internet utilization rate of 36 percent observed in Sub-Saharan Africa the same year (World Bank, 2021). Regarding individual DRC households, only 1.3 percent have access to the internet (MICS, 2019). For households in urban settings, it’s 2.4 percent but goes down to 0.5 percent for households in rural settings (MICS, 2019). Coupled with the underdeveloped digital infrastructure is the low penetration rate of digital devices like phones and computers. Although the mobile phone penetration rate in the DRC has gone up from 41 percent in 2019 to 50 percent in 2022, it still lags eastern and southern Africa which was standing at 78 percent that same year. 17 Girls Learning and Empowerment Project Digital Readiness of Secondary Schools in the DRC 6 (World Bank Group, 2019–2022). Regarding mobile phone penetration, at individual DRC households, 51.8 percent have a mobile phone (MICS, 2019). Although in provinces like Kinshasa, South-Kivu, Kongo-Central, and North-Kivu more than 60percent of households own a mobile device, the national average is significantly lower, with only 42percent of households owning a mobile phone (MICS, 2019). There is also a large mobile internet service penetration divide between urban and rural households, with 83.5 percent of urban household having mobile connectivity compared to only 29.6 percent of rural households (MICS, 2019). Computer ownership is very low in the DRC with only 5.3 percent of households having a computer (MICS, 2019) with urban households 41 times more likely than rural to have a computer – 12.4 percent vs 0.3 percent respectively (MICS, 2019) (Figure 11). Overall, the percentage of households with access to digital devices and the internet varies significantly across provinces, with some provinces like Kinshasa and South- Kivu faring better than most (Figure 11). These highlight a significant digital divide within the country, emphasizing the need for improved access to digital devices and the internet. Figure 11: Households with access to digital devices and the internet, by province Source: MICS, 2019. 6 Calculations using data from the World Bank’s World Development Indicators, specifically the population by number and the number of mobile phone subscriptions; the uniqueness of the subscriptions were not controlled for. 28 The digital divide among 15—19-year-olds in the DRC is alarming, with many young people lacking essential tools for digital literacy 7 and learning. Among this age group, 29 percent of boys and 21 percent of girls own a mobile phone, while only 14 percent of boys and 9 percent of girls have ever used a computer, and 16 percent of boys and 9 percent of girls have ever used the internet (MICS, 2019) (Figure 12), highlighting a significant gender gap. This gap widens even further when disability is considered, with a woman aged 18-49 with at least one disability being 2 times less likely to have ever used a computer than her male counterpart with a disability, and 3 times less likely compared to her male counterpart without a disability (Figure 12). These disparities highlight a critical issue: the lack of access to digital tools and the internet is not only a matter of infrastructure but also deeply intertwined with gender and disability inequalities. Ensuring that all young people have access to digital technologies is crucial for their educational development and future opportunities. Addressing these gaps is imperative for fostering an inclusive and equitable society, where every individual has the chance to thrive in an increasingly digital world. 7 Digital Literacy: The ability to navigate, evaluate, and create information using a range of digital technologies effectively and critically. This includes skills such as understanding how to use digital devices, software, and the internet, as well as the ability to communicate and collaborate online, and to understand and apply ethical practices in digital environments (Vuorikari et al., 2022). 29 Figure 12: Access to digital devices and the internet among 15—19 and 18—49-year-olds, by gender and disability Source: MICS, 2019. The limited access to digital devices is worse across gender lines, with men within one household being more likely to own a mobile phone than their female counterparts. According to a survey of 41 countries by UNICEF, female household members ages 15–24 are 15 percent less likely to own a mobile phone than their male counterparts (UNICEF, 2023). This not only sets women and girls back for the development of their digital skills, but also excludes them from taking advantage of digital platforms and services like mobile banking (29 percent of bank account owners in the DRC use their mobile devices to access 30 their account [World Bank Group, 2020]). These gender disparities are largely due to gender social norms and biases (UNICEF, 2023; OECD, 2018; EQUALS Her Digital Skills, 2024). The gender gap in access to digital resources is an important element of gender inequality in the DRC. The DRC ranks 152 out of 166 countries on the gender inequality index, a composite metric composed of 3 dimensions: reproductive health, empowerment, and the labor market (UNDP, 2022). The inequalities faced by women in the country negatively impact their ability to use the internet, own a mobile phone, and use a computer. Men ages 15–49 in the DRC are 2.2 times more likely to have used the internet than women within the same age bracket, they are 1.6 times more likely to own a mobile phone, and 2.3 times more likely to have used a computer (MICS, 2019) (Figure 13). While both men and women in rural areas are lagging urban areas in digital devices usage, the gender disparity is greater in rural areas. Specifically, men in rural settings are 5.1 times more likely to have used the internet than women, 2.9 times more likely to own a mobile phone, and 2.8 times more likely to have used the internet (Figure 13). This disparity highlights the impact of the urban- rural divide on the gender gap in access to digital resources (Figure 13). This gender gap in access to digital infrastructure and devices persists across provinces, with Kinshasa having one of the widest gender gaps in internet use, mobile phone ownership, and computer use (Figure 14). Figure 13: Percentage of the population ages 15–49 with access to digital infrastructure and devices, by gender Source: MICS, 2019. 31 Figure 14: Percentage of the population with access to digital resources, by gender and province Source: MICS, 2019. Within schools, a major constraint to the development of digital skills in the DRC has been a general lack of access to digital devices. Data from the most recent DRC Statistical Yearbook (2019-2020) shows that there are not enough computers and science kits in schools to ensure equitable access (Figure 15). The lack of adequate and secure spaces coupled with the accessibility issues most public schools face, create substantial barriers to the deployment of devices. Attempts to increase access to digital devices in public secondary schools were made through the World Bank–funded Projet d’Education pour la Qualité et la Pertinence des Enseignements aux Niveaux Secondaire et Universitaire (PEQPESU). For the implementation of PEQPESU, a total of 9,975 laptops and 799 desktops were distributed to approximately 291 public secondary schools across 18 provinces (Figure 16) (World Bank, 2020). Considering the 29,631 public secondary schools that lack adequate computers, these efforts were not enough to meet this need. Due to the difficulty of schools’ accessibility, their lack of access to electricity, and a general lack of suitable spaces to store computers across provinces, the greatest number of devices distributed was in Kinshasa (124 desktops and 1,680 laptops) where schools have greater accessibility and are located mostly in urban areas. Ensuring that schools in the DRC have access to the digital devices needed to develop digital skills is a multifaceted challenge, which will require the collaboration of multiple ministries to solve. 32 Figure 15: Availability of devices in secondary schools, by province (10 CPF) Source: MNENC, UNESCO, and World Bank, 2021. Figure 16: Distribution of digital devices through PEQPESU, by province Source: MNENC, 2020b. The lack of a centralized EMIS presents the DRC with a significant challenge to make decisions based on data. This is especially true for data on schools’ access to basic digital 33 infrastructure like the internet. Geospatial data (2020) shows that 76 percent of public secondary schools in the DRC have access to at least mobile network (Figure 17). There is a large variation in mobile network coverage by province. The provinces with the greatest proportion of schools that are covered by a mobile network are distributed along the eastern and southern borders, which house the country’s economic hubs as well as its major electrical grids (Figure 17) (International Trade Administration, 2024; Word Bank, 2020). Across the 10 CPF provinces, between 88 and 99.5 percent of schools are covered by mobile networks (Figure 17), often owned by several mobile network companies. Major telecommunications companies like Vodacom, Orange, and Airtel—which hold 37, 29, and 31 percent of the telecommunications market share in the country, respectively—are also the main companies whose networks most schools are covered by (Figure 18) (World Bank Group, 2020). Figure 17: Percentage of public secondary schools covered by a mobile network, by province Source: MNENC, 2020a. 34 Figure 18: Distribution of the percentage of mobile networks near schools, by telecommunications company and province (10 CPF) Source: MNENC, 2020a. Despite improvements in mobile penetration and overall mobile network coverage, much of the population remains disconnected. The Global System for Mobile Communications Association’s (GSMA) mobile connectivity index score—a measurement of mobile internet adoption using key indicators such as infrastructure, affordability, consumer readiness, and content and services—for the DRC is 22.9 out of 100, with an infrastructure score of 37, a consumer readiness score of 27.4, and an affordability score of 16.3 (GSMA, 2022). The low infrastructure and consumer readiness scores reflect the 54 percent of the population that have 3G broadband coverage and the 30 percent that are actively connected to it (GSMA, 2022). As reflected by the low affordability score, the cost of mobile data presents a major constraint to ensuring widespread data accessibility. Mobile operators have a rate of US$1 for 1GB (Table 3), which would allow for about one hour worth of video streaming in 720p, (which could mean one hour of instructional time on YouTube or remote video lesson). With 73 percent of the population in the DRC living in extreme poverty, paying to access the internet is simply not possible (UNICEF, 2022). 35 Table 3: Pricing of mobile broadband products One-day validity Seven-day validity 30-day validity Vodacom 70MB for US$0.11 2.5GB for US$5 85GB for US$50 1GB for US$1.00 200GB for US$100 Airtel 1GB for US$1.00 2.5GB for US$5 50GB for US$30 2GB for US$1.25 7.5GB for US$7 85GB for US$50 200GB for US$100 Africell 2.4GB for US$1.20 3.5GB for US$5 37GB for US$20 (valid for 2 days) 118GB US$50 280GB US$100 Orange 100MB for US$0.20 500MB for US$1 10GB for US$10 (valid for 3 days) 1GB for US$2 30GB for US$20 1GB for US$1.00 3GB for US$4 50GB for US$30 (valid for 2 days) 90GB for US$50 200GB for US$100 Sources: Vodacom user, Airtel, Africell, and Orange official webpages January 2024. 36 4b. ANALYSIS OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS’ DIGITAL READINESS: School Capacity QUALITY AND RELIABILITY OF CLASSROOMS The poor construction quality of most public secondary school classrooms presents major constraints for ensuring secure environments for learning, along with the usage and storage of digital devices. Classrooms are made from either straw/foliage (leaves), semi- hard material (mainly sun-dried earth bricks), clay, or permanent material. Except for classrooms made from straw/foliage, all other construction types are durable enough to provide a suitable environment for the use and storage of digital devices. Although between 64 and 96 percent of classrooms in 24 of the 26 provinces are in good condition, only 5 provinces—Upper-Katanga (95 percent), Kinshasa (94 percent), Kongo-Central (75 percent), Kasai-Oriental (77 percent), and Lualaba (76 percent) —have more than 75 percent of classrooms made from permanent material that are in good condition (Figure 19). Across the 10 CPF provinces only 3 (Kinshasa, Kongo-Central, and Kasai-Oriental) have at least 57 percent of classrooms made from permanent material that are in good condition (Figure 19). These 3 provinces also have the greatest number of public secondary schools in urban settings, adding another layer of complexity to the challenges rural schools are facing. Figure 19: Percentage of classrooms in good condition, by construction type and province Source: MNENC, UNESCO, and World Bank, 2021. 37 AVAILABILITY OF SCHOOL EQUIPMENT Most schools in the DRC are overcrowded and do not have the capacity (classrooms and classroom equipment) to accommodate the growing population of secondary-school-age children. In the primary and secondary education systems in the United States, class size is a significant factor influencing student learning (Whitehurst and Chingos, 2011). Research suggests that substantial reductions in class size can benefit student achievement, particularly for younger and less advantaged students (Whitehurst and Chingos, 2011). The only province in the DRC that does not appear to have problem with overcrowding is Kwilu with 19 students per class, which could be due to the greater number of schools within the province (Figure 2 and 20). All other provinces have between 22 to 79 students per class on average (Figure 20). Similarly, across the 10 CPF provinces there is general lack of adequate single-person chairs to accommodate all students, with provinces like Kasai-Oriental that have 76 students to one single-person chair (Figure 21). Although multi-seat benches are available they also tend to be overcrowded, with 3–4 students sharing a 2-person seat in many schools (Adelman et al., 2021). This poses a significant challenge to the deployment and use of digital devices, as students need adequate space to use devices. 38 Figure 20: Distribution of ratio of student to classroom in good condition, by province Source: MNENC, UNESCO, and World Bank, 2021. Figure 21: Ratio of students to single-person chairs, by province (10 CPF) Source: MNENC, UNESCO, and World Bank, 2021. 39 SCHOOL MANAGEMENT Effective school management is essential for improving educational outcomes, as highlighted in the World Bank’s World Development Report 2018. This involves regular performance evaluations and strategic use of data to inform teaching practices and schools management. High-quality management ensures that inspectors' findings are utilized to drive improvements in teaching standards. Implementing robust Education Management Information Systems (EMIS) is critical, but these systems require administrative capacity, frequent inputs and data integrity to be effective. Addressing these management challenges can significantly enhance education quality, leading to better student learning outcomes, as evidenced by the positive correlation between strong management practices and student achievement levels (World Bank, 2018). Additionally, integrating technology into school management and teaching practices has shown to further improve educational outcomes by providing innovative teaching tools and better data management systems. For example, in Kenya, tablet-based technology was used to provide real-time feedback to teachers, resulting in improved instructional practices and student performance (Piper et al., 2015). However, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) struggles with certain aspects of school management. In the provinces of Kasai, Kasai-Central, Kasai-Oriental, Ituri, and South-Kivu, there are 1,400 inspectors responsible for monitoring teaching standards. While these inspectors conduct regular performance checks, the findings are seldom utilized to improve teaching and learning practices (World Bank Group, 2023). Under the PAAF project, inspectors and teachers will receive training in innovative teaching technologies (World Bank, 2023b). Despite the establishment of an Education Management Information System (EMIS) in all 26 provinces through collaboration between the World Bank, UNICEF, and the MNENC in 2018, administrative capacity to effectively utilize these systems remains limited. Current data on the effectiveness of the EMIS is scarce, and the implementation of an electronic EMIS (E-EMIS) faces procurement and data integrity challenges. 40 To address these challenges, members of the DRC government, including the MNENC and others, will work under PAAF to further develop and implement the EdTech Strategy and Action Plan created during the World Bank’s EdTech Global Solutions Group’s Policy Academy in the Spring of 2023. The plan focuses on three main axes: 1) Governance and regulation, which included building capacity at the level of administrators, improving the ICT curriculum for teachers to improve the digital culture within schools, reinforcing the implementation of the new Digital Code to create a digital culture within the DRC, and establishing a committee to monitor progress on the implementation of action items; 2) application usage, which included improving existing learning platforms to facilitate access to digital content, developing online assessments adapted to the ICT curriculum, and developing a national digital learning platform; and 3) digital infrastructure, which included establishing digital learning centers for teacher and students in partnership with telecommunication companies, conducting a comprehensive assessment of connectivity and infrastructure needs, and improving the digital infrastructure of schools (World Bank, 2023b). 41 4c. ANALYSIS OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS’ DIGITAL READINESS: Teachers and Digital Competences TEACHER CAPACITY Most of the secondary education teachers in DRC are underqualified. In the DRC teachers are required to have at least a post-secondary degree to teach, yet 67 percent of secondary school teachers only have a secondary degree, and 3 percent have less than a secondary degree (Figure 19) (MNENC, UNESCO, and World Bank, 2021). Eighteen percent of qualified teachers in the country are in Kinshasa (Figure 22). This shortage of qualified teachers is due to poor teaching salaries and poor pre-service and in-service teacher training (Adelman et al., 2021; World Bank Group, 2023). The overall student-to-teacher ratio in the DRC stands at 14.8. However, only considering teachers with minimum teaching qualifications brings this ratio up to 39.4 (MNENC, UNESCO, and World Bank, 2021). Disaggregation of student to minimally qualified teacher ratio by province shows disparities in the access to qualified teachers across provinces (Figure 23). In addition to low qualifications, teachers in the DRC lack foundational skills like socio-emotional skills, and the shortage of textbooks also exacerbates their ineffectiveness in the classroom (World Bank Group, 2023). 42 Figure 22: Distribution of teachers, by qualification and province Source: MNENC, UNESCO, and World Bank, 2021. Note: P6: secondary diploma in fields outside of pedagogy/teaching; D6: secondary diploma in pedagogy/teaching; -D6/P6: Less than a secondary school diploma; A1: technical associate’s degree; DR: doctorate degree; G3: associate’s degree; IR: engineering degree; L2: bachelor’s degree; L2A: bachelor’s degree with technical accreditation; LA: bachelor’s from a teaching college. 43 Figure 23: Ratio of students to minimally qualified teachers across provinces Source: MNENC, UNESCO, and World Bank, 2021. In addition to the general lack of qualified teachers, there is also a significant lack of qualified female teachers. Most teachers in the DRC are not trained to use gender- responsive pedagogies and often exclude girls from opportunities to participate in class, while assigning them domestic tasks like cleaning (Adelman et al., 2021; World Bank Group, 2023). This not only reinforces gender biases within schools, but also makes girls vulnerable to harassment from their male peers and teachers (Adelman et al., 2021). Increasing the number of female teachers in a male dominated culture country like the DRC can have a positive impact on girls’ educational performance (Adelman et al., 2021; World Bank Group, 2023). The gender disparity of teachers in the DRC is alarming. In provinces like Mongala, for every female teacher there are 1,407 girls compared to 112 girls for every male teacher (Figure 24). This lack of female teachers is not due to a lack of supply, especially with over 5,000 women qualifying to teach in secondary schools each year (World Bank Group, 2023). Some of the key factors preventing women from securing teaching positions include: 1) difficulties associated with relocation; 2) financial insecurity associated with teaching; 3) 44 gender-insensitive work environments that enforce gender biases against women; and 4) traditional norms associated with teaching in secondary schools (World Bank Group, 2023). Figure 24: Ratio of girls to minimally qualified teachers across provinces, by gender Source: MNENC, UNESCO, and World Bank, 2021. DIGITAL LITERACY The lack of technology in schools has had a negative impact on the development of digital skills among students and teachers in the DRC. With support from PEQPESU, the country made major efforts to improve digital skills through revision of the secondary school ICT curriculum. Mapping the newly revised ICT curriculum to the European Commission’s DigComp2.2 Digital Competence Framework for Citizens revealed substantial alignment between the two (Box 1). The new ICT curriculum covers 55 percent of DigComp2.2’s domain 5, which addresses problem-solving skills (Figure 25). Disaggregation by level of secondary school shows that lower secondary education mostly covers domains 1–3 45 (domain 1 - information and data, domain 2 - communication and collaboration, and domain 3 - digital content creation), while upper secondary covers domain 5 (Figure 25). Domain 4 (protection and security) is the least covered of all 5 domains. Box 1: Mapping the updated secondary school ICT curriculum to the DigComp2.2 Digital Competence Framework Updated curriculum 1st Year of Secondary ICT Curriculum 4th Year of Secondary ICT Curriculum • Fundamental Knowledge • Excel: Mathematical Functions and Formulas, • Internet and Communications Trigonometry • Microsoft (MS) Office • Algorithms and Coding: Applications for Coding 2nd Year of Secondary ICT Curriculum 5th Year of Secondary ICT Curriculum • Word Processing with MS Word • Handling Databases • Excel: Mathematical Formulas and Data • Algorithms and Coding: Artificial Intelligence Management 6th Year of Secondary ICT Curriculum • Algorithms and Coding: Basics • Computer Networks 3rd Year of Secondary ICT Curriculum • Algorithms and Coding: Artificial Intelligence and • Excel: Mathematical Functions and Formulas, Data Big Data Management • Algorithms and Coding: Simple Structures DigComp2.2 Domain 1: Information and Data Domain 3: Digital Content Creation 1.1 Navigate, search, and filter data, information, 3.1 Create digital content and digital content 3.2 Integrate and modify digital content 1.2 Evaluate data, information, and digital content 3.3 Copyrights and usage licenses 1.3 Manage data, information, and digital content 3.4 Programming Domain 2: Communication and Collaboration Domain 4: Protection and Security 2.1 Interact through digital technologies 4.1 Protect digital devices 2.2 Share content using digital technologies 4.2 Protect personal data and privacy 2.3 Engage in citizenship through digital 4.3 Protect health and well-being technologies 4.4 Protect the environment 2.4 Collaborate via digital technologies Domain 5: Problem Solving 2.5 Netiquette 5.1 Solve technical problems 2.6 Manage digital identity 5.2 Identify digital/technological needs and solutions 5.3 Creative use of digital technologies 5.4 Identify gaps in digital skills 46 Box 1 (continued) Figure 25: Mapping of secondary ICT curriculum to DigComp2.2 Percentage of Domain Covered Across Years of Secondary School 18% 55% 23% 5% 30% Domain 1 Domain 2 Domain 3 Domain 4 Domain 5 Average Percentage of Domain Covered in Lower vs Upper Secondary School 29% 11% 38% 14% 46% 24% 0% 9% 38% 70% Domain 1 Domain 2 Domain 3 Domain 4 Domain 5 Lower Secondary Upper Secondary Sources: Vuorikari et al., 2022; MNENC and World Bank, 2020a. A survey of ICT competence among a subset of men and women ages 15–49 in the DRC shows a general lack of digital skills that is exacerbated by the gender and urban-rural digital divide (MICS, 2019). The survey assessed participants ages 15–49 on their ability to complete a set of nine ICT tasks (Box 2). Of those that participated in the survey, only 11.6 percent of men in the DRC were able to complete at least one of the nine ICT tasks presented (Figure 26). Compared to this, only 3.2 percent of women in the DRC were able to complete at least one of the 9 tasks presented, making men 3.6 times more likely than women to possess some digital literacy (Figure 26). The disparity in digital skills between 47 men and women in the DRC is so severe that even men in rural settings are just as likely to possess the same level of digital skills as women overall (Figure 26). Although women in urban settings fare better than men in rural settings, they are still 70.3 percent less likely than men in urban settings to complete at least one ICT task (Figure 26). Box 2: Assessment of digital skills among population ages 15–49 in the DRC, by gender and setting UNESCO: ICT Skills Components Under the UNESCO’s Sustainable Development Goal 4, indicator 4.4.1, which measures the number of the population (ages 15–49) with ICT skills, ICT skills are defined by a set of nine skills (Montoya, 2018). 1. Copying or moving a file or folder 2. Using copy and paste tools to duplicate or move information within a document 3. Sending e-mails with attached files (e.g. document, picture, video) 4. Using basic arithmetic formulas in a spreadsheet 5. Connecting and installing new devices (e.g. a modem, camera, printer) 6. Finding, downloading, installing and configuring software 7. Creating electronic presentations with presentation software (including images, sound, video or charts) 8. Transferring files between a computer and other devices 9. Writing a computer program using a specialized programming language Figure 26: Percentage of population ages 15–49 with ICT skills, by gender and task 25.0% 20.0% 15.0% 10.0% 5.0% 0.0% Performed at least one out of nine Created an electronic presentation with Used a basic arithmetic formula in a or move information within a document Transferred a file between a computer Copied or moved a file or folder Connected and installed a new device, Wrote a computer program in any Sent e-mail with attached file, such as a Found, downloaded, installed and Used a copy and paste tool to duplicate presentation software, including text, such as a modem, camera or printer images, sound, video or charts programming language document, picture or video configured software and other device spreadsheet activities Male Total Male Urban Male Rural Female Total Female Urban Female Rural Source: MICS, 2019. 48 Box 3: Assessment of digital skills among population ages 15–19, 15–49, and 18—49 in the DRC, by gender and DigComp2.2 competence domain Grouping ICT tasks by DigComp2.2 competence domains for survey results among population ages 15–19 shows that the most common set of digital skills found among this age group (17 percent) are the basic digital skills covered under domain 1 (Figure 27). The fact that only 13 percent of youth in the DRC possess domain 1 skills (basic digital skills) is alarming and really speaks to the general lack of digital skills within the country. Among the population aged 18—49, there is a persistent digital divide that is exacerbated by gender and disability. Women with at least one disability are 2.5 times less likely to have basic digital skills than men with at least one disability, and 5.5 times less likely than men with no disability (Figure 28). Figure 27: Percentage of population ages 15–19 in the DRC with digital skills, by gender and DigComp2.2 competence domain Source: MICS, 2019. 49 Box 3 (continued) Figure 28: Percentage of population ages 18—49 in the DRC with digital skills, by gender, disability, and DigComp2.2 competence domain Source: MICS, 2019. 50 Box 3 (continued) Further assessing the level of digital skills among population ages 15–49 across provinces, by DigComp2.2 domains, shows that an overwhelmingly larger proportion of the population in Kinshasa, along with North and South Kivu, are digitally literate compared to other provinces (Figure 29). However, the gender gap in digital skills in Kinshasa is also the largest, which is equally alarming (Figure 29). As most teachers in the DRC are around 40 years old, these data further emphasize the urgent need to develop digital skills for both students and teachers in the DRC (Adelman et al., 2021). Figure 29: Percentage of population ages 15–49 in the DRC with digital skills, by gender, DigComp2.2 competence domain and province Domain 1 Domain 2 % of population that "copied or moved a file % of population that "used a copy and paste % of population that "sent e-mail with or folder", by gender and province tool to duplicate or move information within attached file, such as a document, picture or 30.0% 30.0% a document", by gender and province 30.0% video", by gender and province 25.0% 25.0% 25.0% 20.0% 20.0% 20.0% 15.0% 15.0% 15.0% 10.0% 10.0% 10.0% 5.0% 5.0% 5.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% Ituri Kongo Central Kwango Haut Katanga Lomami Maniema Kasaï Oriental Maindombe Kinshasa Sud Kivu Tshopo Mongala Sankuru Haut Lomami Sud Ubangi Équateur Kasaï Central Nord Kivu Tshuapa Ituri Kongo Central Kwango Haut Katanga Lomami Maniema Haut Uele Nord Ubangi Kasaï Oriental Maindombe Sud Kivu Tshopo Bas Uele Kinshasa Kasaï Kwilu Lualaba Mongala Sankuru Haut Lomami Sud Ubangi Équateur Kasaï Central Nord Kivu Tshuapa Haut Uele Nord Ubangi Tanganyika Bas Uele Kasaï Kwilu Lualaba Kongo Central Kwango Ituri Haut Katanga Lomami Maniema Kasaï Oriental Maindombe Sud Kivu Tshopo Kinshasa Tanganyika Mongala Sankuru Haut Lomami Sud Ubangi Équateur Kasaï Central Nord Kivu Tshuapa Haut Uele Nord Ubangi Bas Uele Kasaï Kwilu Lualaba Tanganyika Domain 3 % of population that "used a basic arithmetic % of population that "connected and installed % of population that "found, downloaded, 30.0% formula in a spreadsheet", by gender and 30.0% a new device, such as a modem, camera or 30.0% installed and configured software", by gender province 25.0% printer", by gender and province 25.0% and province 25.0% 20.0% 20.0% 20.0% 15.0% 15.0% 15.0% 10.0% 10.0% 10.0% 5.0% 5.0% 5.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% Ituri Kongo Central Kwango Ituri Kongo Central Kwango Haut Katanga Lomami Maniema Haut Katanga Lomami Maniema Kasaï Oriental Maindombe Kinshasa Sud Kivu Tshopo Tshopo Kasaï Oriental Maindombe Kinshasa Sud Kivu Mongala Sankuru Mongala Sankuru Haut Lomami Sud Ubangi Haut Lomami Sud Ubangi Tshuapa Tshuapa Ituri Kongo Central Kwango Équateur Kasaï Central Nord Kivu Équateur Kasaï Central Nord Kivu Haut Katanga Lomami Maniema Tshopo Haut Uele Haut Uele Kasaï Oriental Maindombe Sud Kivu Nord Ubangi Nord Ubangi Kinshasa Bas Uele Sankuru Kasaï Kwilu Lualaba Bas Uele Kasaï Kwilu Lualaba Mongala Haut Lomami Sud Ubangi Équateur Kasaï Central Nord Kivu Tshuapa Haut Uele Nord Ubangi Bas Uele Tanganyika Tanganyika Kasaï Kwilu Lualaba Tanganyika Domain 5 % of population that "created an electronic % of population that "transferred a file % of population that "wrote a computer presentation with presentation software, between a computer and other device", by program in any programming language", by 30.0% 30.0% 30.0% including text, images, sound, video or gender and province gender and province 25.0% 25.0% 25.0% charts", by gender and province 20.0% 20.0% 20.0% 15.0% 15.0% 15.0% 10.0% 10.0% 10.0% 5.0% 5.0% 5.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% Ituri Kongo Central Kwango Ituri Kongo Central Kwango Haut Katanga Lomami Maniema Haut Katanga Lomami Maniema Kasaï Oriental Maindombe Sud Kivu Tshopo Maindombe Sud Kivu Tshopo Kinshasa Kasaï Oriental Kinshasa Mongala Sankuru Mongala Sankuru Haut Lomami Sud Ubangi Haut Lomami Sud Ubangi Équateur Kasaï Central Nord Kivu Tshuapa Équateur Kasaï Central Nord Kivu Tshuapa Haut Uele Nord Ubangi Haut Uele Nord Ubangi Bas Uele Kasaï Kwilu Lualaba Bas Uele Kasaï Kwilu Lualaba Tanganyika Tanganyika Kwango Ituri Kongo Central Haut Katanga Lomami Maniema Maindombe Tshopo Kasaï Oriental Kinshasa Sud Kivu Mongala Sankuru Haut Lomami Sud Ubangi Équateur Kasaï Central Nord Kivu Tshuapa Haut Uele Nord Ubangi Bas Uele Kasaï Kwilu Lualaba Tanganyika Male Female Source: MICS, 2019. 51 DIGITAL LEARNING MATERIALS The lack of digital skills among teachers in the DRC makes them unable to use technology for teaching and learning, a skill that was particularly important after school closures during the pandemic. In 2021, a survey conducted by UNICEF through their U-REPORT platform showed that 64 percent of participants (3,363 participants) ages 15–19 attended schools that did not have distanced learning programs in place after school closures (CASS, 2021; UNICEF, 2021). Similar reports were made by children ages 11–17 in Save the Children surveys, where 85 percent (280 participants) reported not having access to distanced learning material (CASS, 2021; Save the Children, 2020). Surveys conducted by REACH in South-Kivu (321 participants) and Tanganyika (288 participants) showed that 99 percent of children did not have access to distanced learning material (CASS, 2021; REACH, 2021a; REACH, 2021b). In Goma, some teachers resorted to hand-delivering homework to their students but reported that boys were more likely than girls to complete their homework; this was mainly due to the domestic responsibilities placed on girls (CASS, 2021). During this time girls became increasingly vulnerable to sexual harassment and some even resorted to using sex as a means to receive money, mobile data, and phone credits (CASS, 2021). In schools in North-Kivu where children had access to distanced learning material, the lack of electricity and internet in many households were identified as major barriers (CASS, 2021). An attempt to address some of these challenges was made through the implementation of PEQPESU, which leveraged Google Forms, Google Drive, YouTube, WhatsApp, and WeTransfer to facilitate distanced learning. The application of these tools led to the creation of a formalized PEQPESU podcast and YouTube channel that serves as a repository of learning material covering various subjects (chemistry, physics, mathematics, ICT, and natural sciences), secondary education levels, and video formats (cartoons, animated PowerPoints with voice-over, illustrated lessons with presenters, and bilingual French and Lingala illustrated lessons). PEQPESU was not only able to leverage technology to teach digital skills, but also improved the quality of education by introducing online learning material through public-private partnerships with organizations like Whizz Education. 52 During the pandemic, Whizz Education, PEQPESU, and the MNENC established a partnership to procure materials, support, and training. Whizz Education provided online learning material for mathematics (Maths-Whizz) to students for a period of one year across six (Kinshasa, Kwilu, Haut-Katanga, Kasai, Équateur, and Tshopo) provinces and 21 schools. The learning materials were coupled with online training and local support to teachers. This partnership yielded positives outcomes for both students and teachers. Through this partnership, students going to their second to last year of secondary school recovered 0.78 years of mathematics and students going to their last year of secondary recovered 0.23 years of mathematics (Whizz Education and MNENC, 2021). Additionally, up to 114 teachers received training on how to use the Maths-Whizz platform to improve student learning achievements, 99 teachers improved their pedagogical knowledge and skills through online professional development courses delivered via WhatsApp, and 55 teachers improved their understanding of mathematics through a Maths-Whizz tutor. Note that while these interventions yield substantial results, they are expensive to run and require expertise, access to reliable internet and electricity. The implementation of the intervention by Whizz Education had a total cost of US$1 million, which included access to their online learning platform to 5,000 students for US$40 per student for one year (MNENC and World Bank, 2021). Public-private partnerships were crucial to the delivery of online learning materials through PEQPESU. Five key partners involved and their individual contributions: 1) The MNENC’s television channel EducTV. 2) KIVU EDUC, which provided free access to educational content from the PEQPESU YouTube channel (number of subscribers = 1,800; number of videos 265; number of views per instructional video ranging between 14 to 8,400 views) to students and teachers in the rural settings of South-Kivu. 53 3) SchoolAp, which provided distanced learning courses and management software for schools and universities, as well as access to PEQPESU YouTube videos. This platform also doubled as an information management system for teachers to keep track of their students’ performance. They also launched, solar powered, pre-loaded tablets with learning materials for students and teachers in rural communities. SchoolAp recently started a partnership with KONNECT Africa to increase rural schools’ access to high-speed internet via satellites in DRC. 4) Klasroom Eteyelo, a learning management platform that enables teachers to interact with learners during their course. 5) VODAEDUC, a zero-rated online national educational platform created by the Vodacom Foundation’s Instant Schools for Africa Program (Malu, 2020). 54 5. ASSESSMENT OF READINESS FOR DIGITAL SKILLS This assessment identified the provinces most ready to adopt technology for the development of digital skills in public secondary schools by scoring the readiness of each of the five CPF provinces with major ICT investments under the PAAF project across seven of the nine key factors. Due to a lack of measurable data on all five provinces, the teaching and learning materials as well as the school management key factors were excluded from this analysis. For each of the seven key factor categories and their subcategories (total of 18 subcategories, Table 4), provinces were given a rank between 1 and 5 (highest). Province scores were ranked by quintile. The most points a province could receive was 90, that is, if they scored a 5 for each of the 18 subcategories. Scores were summed across the 18 subcategories to obtain total scores for each province. Total scores were then divided by 90 and multiplied by 100 to get a final score. Results from this analysis showed very little difference across the five provinces. The readiness scores were quite low overall, suggesting an acute need in strengthening the digital skills environment to impart digital skills to secondary education students. Interestingly, of the five provinces assessed, South- Kivu had the highest score. South-Kivu had a score of 39, 2 points higher than Ituri and Kasai, 8 points higher than Kasai-Central, and 5 points higher than Kasai-Oriental (Figure 30). Overall, these results speak importance of multipronged approach in developing enabling environment for digital skills development in secondary education. The lack of basic infrastructure, digital infrastructure, and devices, as well as general lack of digital skills and qualified teachers needed to teach them present challenges for implementation of a digital skills development program in the DRC. The implementation of such a program will require a multisectoral approach as well as collaboration across multiple ministries within the country. 55 Figure 30: Province digital readiness scores Source: MNENC, UNESCO, and World Bank, 2021. Table 4: List of subcategories used for the readiness the calculation of the digital readiness scores No. Category 1 Percentage of Schools that are Easy to Access 2 Percentage of Schools without Obstacles (Bad Roads) 3 Distance in Urban (5 to 10 km) 4 Distance in Rural (0 to 1 km) 5 Electricity 6 Household with Internet Access 7 Household with a Mobile Phone 8 Household with a Computer 9 Percentage of Schools with Access to a Mobile Network 10 Percentage of Laptops Distributed (PEQPESU) 11 Percentage of Desktops Distributed (PEQPESU) 12 Percentage of Schools Reached (PEQPESU) 56 13 Permanent Classrooms in Good Condition 14 Clay Classrooms in Good Condition 15 Semi-hard Classrooms in Good Condition 16 Percentage of Qualified Teachers 17 Percentage of Men Able to Perform 1 ICT Task 18 Percentage of Women Able to Perform 1 ICT Task 57 6. RECOMMENDATIONS Integrating technology into the education system of the DRC is an arduous undertaking, that requires careful and holistic planning and execution, addressing numerous challenges such as infrastructure gaps, logistical and educational barriers. A phased approach is crucial, starting with the most feasible areas and gradually expanding. This method helps ensure that all efforts are well-coordinated, and resources are used effectively, paving the way for a more inclusive and advanced educational landscape. ENABLING ENVIRONMENT 1. Improve Accessibility of Schools a. Develop infrastructure projects to improve roads and transportation (school buses with optimized routes) to rural schools, ensuring safe and reliable access for students, especially girls. Alternatively, build new schools closer to densely populated areas that are currently far from the nearest school. b. Implement security measures in areas prone to violence, such as establishing safety zones and increasing security patrols. c. Example: i. Ecuador (2016—2022): The World Bank's Supporting Education Reform in Targeted Circuits Project in Ecuador, increased accessibility and functionality of schools through consolidation and rehabilitation, as well as the construction of new schools when needed. These changes reduced commuting time, minimized health risks, and lowered opportunity costs for families. The project also supported students’ access to online learning material and digital resources. 2. Enhance Access to Basic Infrastructure 58 a. Increase the provision of electricity to rural schools by investing in off-grid solutions such as solar panels, wind generators, and small-scale hydropower projects. b. Ensure all schools have access to clean water and sanitation facilities (WASH), with a focus on building gender-segregated and secure latrines to support the hygiene needs of female students. c. Example: i. Columbia (2021—2022): The World Bank's Second Resilient and Sustainable Infrastructure for Recovery Development Policy Financing Project in Columbia, improved equitable access to basic infrastructure such as electricity, water, and sanitation services through innovative financing and public-private partnerships. It also increased schools’ and rural access to internet by incentivizing telecommunication companies to provide their services for free. 3. Expand Access to Digital Infrastructure and Devices a. Partner with telecommunications companies to provide affordable and reliable internet access to all schools, with a focus on rural and underserved areas. b. Distribute digital devices, such as laptops and video projectors, to schools, prioritizing those in remote areas. Ensure secure storage facilities, device management software, maintenance, and technical support for these devices. c. Examples: i. Rwanda (2018–present): The Smart Classroom initiative successfully distributed laptops and tablets to schools across the country. ii. Bangladesh (2017–present): The Access to Information (a2i) program provided affordable internet access to schools and distributed digital devices. 4. Inclusion of Private Schools in Digital Competency Initiatives a. Encourage the government to involve private schools in efforts to enhance digital competencies across the education system. 59 SCHOOL CAPACITY 5. Improve the Quality and Reliability of Classrooms a. Invest in the construction and renovation of classrooms using durable materials to ensure a safe and conducive learning environment. b. Address overcrowding by building additional classrooms and providing adequate seating to accommodate all students comfortably. c. Example: i. Mozambique (2011–2019): The World Bank's Education Sector Support Project in Mozambique, included the construction and renovation of classrooms using durable materials. Safety of new constructions was ensured through the survey of the land to prevent building near ravines, swamps, voltage lines, and others. 6. Enhance Availability of School Equipment a. Provide essential school equipment, including single-person chairs, desks, and science kits, to ensure that each student has the necessary resources for effective learning. b. Develop a centralized procurement and distribution system to streamline the delivery of equipment to schools in need. Using the Geo-Enabling initiative for Monitoring and Supervision (GEMS) data can help identify the best delivery routes to hard-to-reach schools in the DRC. c. Example: i. Malawi (2021—present): The World Bank’s Equity with Quality and Learning at Secondary Project in Malawi, focused on increasing secondary school access in remote settings. A key part of the project focused on procuring school equipment from local artisans to facilitate delivery and engage the local community. 7. Strengthen School Management 60 a. Implement a national electronic education management information system (E- EMIS) to improve data collection, management, and decision-making processes. b. Provide continuous professional development for school administrators and management staff on the use of digital tools and data-driven decision-making to enhance school governance. Provide digital devices and upgrade their working environments to improve efficiency. c. Example: i. India (2020—present): The World Bank’s Nagaland Enhancing Classroom Teaching and Resources in India, focused on strengthening the existing EMIS and galvanizing the local communities as stakeholders in improving school management. 8. Support for Students with Disabilities a. Adapt educational tools to meet the needs of students with disabilities, including the use of adaptive technology such as screen readers, speech-to-text software, and specialized learning apps. b. Make classrooms and schools more accessible by installing ramps, elevators, and accessible restrooms. c. Include statistical data on students with disabilities to ensure their needs are addressed in educational planning. 9. Strategic Partnerships a. Collaborate with communication companies to facilitate zero-rated access to selected online and digital learning resources. b. Establish partnerships with various institutions, startups, and organizations involved in developing digital competencies. 10. Improvement of Data Accessibility and Presentation a. Develop visual analytics dashboard and accompany graphs with explanatory tables for better understanding of the data. b. Ensure the availability of detailed and comprehensible statistical data for researchers and stakeholders. 61 TEACHERS AND DIGITAL COMPETENCES 11. Build Teacher Capacity a. Align and deploy pre-service and in-service training programs for teachers to improve their qualifications and pedagogical skills, with a focus on digital literacy and the use of educational technology. b. Increase the recruitment and retention of female teachers, particularly in rural areas, to ensure a gender-sensitive learning environment and support for female students. c. Example: i. Peru (2021—2022): The World Bank’s Investing in Human Capital Second Development Policy Financing Project in Peru, improved the quality of pre-service and in-service teacher training as well as opportunities for continuous professional development. It modernized the school management system using a meritocratic hiring process and digital devices in classrooms. 12. Promote Digital Literacy a. Integrate digital literacy into the school curriculum, ensuring that all students, regardless of gender, have access to digital skills training. b. Regularly assess digital skills for both teachers and students using internationally recognized digital skills assessment tools (i.e., Pix, Ikanos, EUROPASS, Digital Skills Accelerator Self-Assessment Tool, and the Digital Competence Wheel). c. Develop and distribute digital learning materials tailored to the local context and aligned with the national curriculum. d. Example: i. Burkina Faso (2024—present): The World Bank’s Digital Acceleration Project in Burkina Faso, supports digital skills for over 900,000 individuals, focusing on vulnerable women and youth. It includes developing a national digital skills framework, establishing a digital skills center for 62 teacher training and curriculum updates, and implementing a digital literacy program for marginalized groups. Additionally, it targets support for STEM public high schools and higher education institutions to enhance digital skills training aligned with national priorities. 13. Increase Availability of Digital Learning Materials a. Collaborate with private sector partners to develop and disseminate high-quality online and offline digital learning resources, including interactive e-books, adaptive learning software, and online courses. b. Establish digital learning centers in schools and in the community centers to provide students and teachers with access to digital resources and internet connectivity (for instance open public Wi-Fi). c. Establish Zero-Rating and develop NRENs: i. Collaborate with internet service providers to zero-rate educational websites and online resources, making them accessible to students and teachers without data charges. ii. 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DataBank World Development Indicators. Washington, DC: World Bank. Retrieved from databank.worldbank.org: https://databank.worldbank.org/source/world- development-indicators. ———. 2020. “Democratic Republic of Congo—Digital Economy Assessment.” Washington, DC: World Bank. License: Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0 IGO. https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/61714f214ed04bcd6e9623ad0e215897- 0400012021/related/DRC-DE4A-EN-Final.pdf. ———. 2022. “Congo, Democratic Republic of - Country Partnership Framework for the Period FY22- 26 (English).” Washington, D.C. : World Bank Group. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/214221646062568502/Congo- Democratic-Republic-of-Country-Partnership-Framework-for-the-Period-FY22-26 70 ABSTRACT Despite progress in expanding access to primary education, due to implementation of the free primary education policy, and secondary education over the past 10 years, the education system of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) faces signi cant challenges in secondary education, including low enrollment rates and learning achievements. Girls and students from rural area and low socio-economic background are particularly vulnerable. This report assesses the readiness of public secondary schools across provinces in the DRC to adopt technology for the development of digital skills. Results show that most schools need support in creating an enabling environment for learning, namely by making schools more accessible, and by increasing access to basic digital infrastructure like connectivity and electricity. Assessing these constraints to access is crucial for understanding the readiness of each province to adopt technology in schools for the development of digital skills. The team acknowledges the financial support received from the Mastercard Foundation.