DRC: at least 4 dead in the collapse of a school in Bukavu.

By Edwin -

At least four people were killed and dozens injured after a school collapsed in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on Saturday, August 12, 2023. The school, which was built with substandard materials, was reportedly full of students at the time of the collapse.The government of the DRC has promised to investigate the incident and to take steps to prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future.

The incident has sparked outrage in Bukavu and across the DRC, with many people calling for an investigation into the cause of the collapse and for measures to be taken to prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future because  this is not the first time this is happening in the country.

The DRC has a long history of school collapses, due to a combination of factors, including poor construction, inadequate safety measures, and corruption. In 2016, a school collapse in Kinshasa killed more than 40 people. And in 2018, a school collapse in Bukavu killed at least 24 people.

There are a number of things that could have been done to prevent the collapse of the school in Bukavu. First, the school should never have been built with substandard materials. Second, there should have been adequate safety measures in place, such as reinforced beams and supports. Third, the school should have been regularly inspected to ensure that it was safe. Most contractors always go for low cost material so as to make more profit without caring about the welfare and human lives.

In addition to these specific measures, there are also a number of broader steps that need to be taken to address the issue of school collapses in the DRC. These include:

  • Increasing funding for education, so that schools can be built with quality materials and safety measures can be put in place.
  • Cracking down on corruption in the construction industry, to ensure that schools are built to code and that contractors, when awarded contract s use all of the money for the project.
  • Raising awareness of the dangers of school collapses, so that parents and students can take steps to protect themselves and also know what to do when they notice any structural failure on a building

The collapse of the school in Bukavu is a tragedy that could have been prevented. It is essential that the authorities take action to ensure that such a tragedy does not happen again.

The collapse of the school in Bukavu is a reminder of the need for safe and quality education for all children in the DRC. It is also a reminder of the importance of accountability and transparency in the construction industry. The authorities must take action to ensure that such a tragedy does not happen again.

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