Ebola Fears as Congolese Students Return to School

Democratic Republic of Congo — Children across the DRC returned to school on September 2, amid the country's most severe Ebola outbreak on record, sparking concern among parents and teachers in the hardest-hit Ituri province.

Government figures show 6,041 infections and 2,911 deaths as of August 31, surpassing the previous worst outbreak from 2018–2020.

The disease has now spread to six of the nation's 26 provinces. Ituri, in the northeast, remains the epicenter with 4,802 confirmed cases as of August 26.

Parental Concerns

In Bunia, the capital of Ituri, many parents question whether reopening schools is appropriate while the epidemic remains active.

"As a parent, I'm worried about schools reopening, especially since we're facing Ebola in the region. We want to ask the government what measures it has taken to protect children from this disease," said Dieudonne Lotsima, a father of three in Bunia.

Lotsima believes in-person classes should be postponed until a specific vaccine is available against the viral strain behind the current outbreak.

"Children are still children. They may not wash their hands at water stations, and if infected, they could spread it to the whole family. This return to school is uncertain, and if we have no protective measures, I don't know what to do," he told Al Jazeera.

The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a different species of ebolavirus from the Zaire virus, which has driven most previous Ebola outbreaks in the DRC.

No vaccine or specific treatment has been approved for Bundibugyo disease. The Ervebo vaccine, licensed against Zaire, is being given to frontline health workers, but its effectiveness against Bundibugyo remains unproven. The World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting a clinical trial to assess the vaccine's protection against the current strain.

Government's School Reopening Plan

Instead of nationwide closures, the Congolese government is applying varied approaches based on outbreak risk levels.

In the highest-risk areas, students will study at home using printed materials and radio programs, according to the Ministry of Education. Worksheets and learning materials aligned with the curriculum will be distributed, while local and community radio stations will broadcast accompanying lessons. Families without radios may receive them.

Education Minister Raissa Malu said on August 18 that 40 of the 138 education subdivisions in Ebola-affected provinces are considered high-risk, with 18 classified as red zones.

The government has divided areas into three categories: green (no Ebola cases), orange (affected areas that can operate with additional precautions), and red (highest risk).

"We will deploy a worksheet system based on the curriculum, focusing on core knowledge, to distribute to students so they can continue learning at home," Malu told Al Jazeera, stressing this is not online instruction.

However, Catherine Neema, a mother of two in Bunia, remains uneasy. "I'm not sure whether to send my children to school. When children go to school, there are too many people. People can get close and infected," she said. Neema noted her eldest child started the break when confirmed cases were around 1,500 and deaths at 470.

Teachers Remain Concerned

The Ituri 1 inter-union teachers' committee argues that the epidemiological situation is not yet safe for students to return.

"We cannot sacrifice the lives of children and teachers just to follow a plan. Before reopening schools, we need to ensure minimum safety standards like handwashing stations, hand sanitizer, thermometers, and supervision and support for teachers," said union member Budju Lobo Isaac, speaking to Al Jazeera.

Education officials have also organized training for staff in Ituri on recognizing risky behaviors, promoting prevention measures, and educating students about Ebola.

"We have trained inspectors, provincial leaders, and teacher union members. They will be deployed to subdivisions to pass on knowledge about Ebola prevention techniques to principals and teachers," said Jean-Baptiste Ngona Kivi, acting head of Ituri's education department.

Schools as a Tool Against the Outbreak

Professor Yap Boum, response coordinator for the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) for the Bundibugyo outbreak, sees school reopening as an opportunity to spread Ebola information to families.

"When children are equipped with knowledge about Ebola virus disease, when they return home, they will also help raise awareness among adults. This is an opportunity we see when children go back to school," Professor Boum told Al Jazeera.