DR Congo schools reopen amid Ebola outbreak and strikes

Schools across the Democratic Republic of Congo reopened for the new academic year on September 1, 2026, as the country battles its largest recorded Ebola outbreak, with authorities implementing a tiered system to balance educational needs with public health risks. The decision to proceed with in-person classes in most areas came after the government abandoned initial plans for remote learning in Ebola-affected zones, citing concerns about deepening educational inequalities. The outbreak, which began in mid-May, has been centered in Ituri province and has spread to six provinces, including North Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Tshopo, South Kivu, and Bas-Uélé. As of August 31, government figures reported 6,041 confirmed cases and 2,911 deaths, surpassing the scale of the previous worst outbreak from 2018 to 2020. The virus responsible is the rare Bundibugyo species, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment, though the Ervebo vaccine used against other strains is being administered to frontline workers while its effectiveness against this variant is assessed. To manage the reopening, the Education Ministry adopted a three-tier system based on local risk.