Bunia: Catholic schools in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo are preparing to reopen for the 2026 to 2027 academic year as communities face a serious Ebola outbreak and continuing insecurity. With classes scheduled to begin on September 1, schools in Ituri Province are increasing health precautions while trying to make sure children, including those displaced by violence, do not lose another year of education.
The situation is particularly difficult in the Diocese of Bunia, where schools have spent years dealing with violence and displacement. The current Ebola outbreak has added another major challenge for teachers, pupils and their families.
The World Health Organization has described the outbreak as a rapidly spreading health emergency. The outbreak was declared the country’s 17th Ebola outbreak in May, raising concerns about the safety of communities already affected by years of conflict and limited access to basic services.
Fr. Willy Rogatien Dzaringa, the diocesan coordinator for Catholic schools in Bunia, said schools are preparing to welcome pupils while putting stronger health measures in place.
One of the main steps is the reactivation and expansion of handwashing facilities in schools. Schools are also expected to have non contact thermometers to check pupils and staff when necessary. Each school has designated health focal points who are responsible for collecting and reporting health information on a daily basis.
However, the diocese says resources remain a serious problem. Many schools, particularly those in rural areas, do not have enough handwashing equipment or thermometers. Some supplies have been provided through humanitarian organisations, but the available equipment is still far below what schools need.
The shortage creates an additional burden for Catholic schools that are already operating under difficult conditions. School leaders must protect children from infection while ensuring that health precautions do not prevent pupils from receiving an education.
Building confidence among parents is also an important part of the preparations. Many families are understandably worried about sending their children back to school during an Ebola outbreak. Catholic schools are therefore working with parents’ groups, parishes, diocesan media and local radio stations to explain the measures being taken.
The Association of Parents of Catholic School Pupils is helping to spread information through school committees. The aim is to give parents clear and practical information so that they understand how schools are trying to protect their children.
The Ebola outbreak is not the only crisis facing schools in Ituri. Violence has disrupted education across the region for about eight years, forcing many families to leave their homes and children to abandon their studies.
Every year, Catholic schools try to enrol children who have been displaced by fighting. But renewed violence often forces these same children to flee again. This repeated disruption has made it extremely difficult for schools to provide stable education.
Despite these difficulties, the Diocese of Bunia says it will continue accepting displaced children in schools that have enough space. Displaced schools will also be kept operating where possible, while existing school buildings may be used to allow classes to restart more quickly.
Teachers and other education workers are also receiving training on Ebola prevention. According to the diocese, this work began more than a year ago when the first signs of the outbreak appeared. Training has continued during the school holidays and includes the correct use of thermometers and other preventive measures.
Information is also being shared through posters, radio programmes and public announcements. The diocesan Caritas organisation and its medical services are supporting these efforts alongside other partners.
There is also growing hope surrounding Ebola vaccine trials targeting the Bundibugyo strain. For communities in Ituri that have already experienced the impact of the outbreak, the vaccination efforts are seen as an important opportunity to slow transmission and prevent further deaths.
The school community is closely following the vaccination programme because controlling the outbreak would make it easier for schools to operate safely and consistently.
At the same time, church leaders are calling for stronger coordination among the Congolese government, the World Health Organization and humanitarian organisations. Fr. Dzaringa said considerable resources have been announced for the response, but he believes that more needs to be done to ensure that assistance reaches communities effectively.
The appeal comes as health authorities and international partners intensify efforts to contain the outbreak. On August 12, the WHO’s director of emergency alert and response said efforts were being made to reverse the spread of the virus within three months.
For families in Bunia and surrounding areas, the coming weeks will be critical. The success of the Ebola response could determine not only how safely children return to classrooms but also whether schools can remain open throughout the academic year.
Catholic schools are therefore entering the new academic year with two goals. They want to protect children from Ebola while continuing to provide education to a generation that has already suffered years of disruption because of violence and displacement.
For the Diocese of Bunia, keeping classrooms open is more than an educational responsibility. It is also an effort to give children stability, hope and a sense of normal life during a period of uncertainty.