Congo parents and teachers urge delay as Ebola threatens school reopening
BUNIA, Democratic Republic of the Congo — Parents and teachers in Ituri are urging authorities to delay the reopening of schools as Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease continues to spread and protective measures remain a concern.
Schools are scheduled to reopen across Congo on September 1, 2026. But the Ituri teachers union, which met Tuesday, August 25, in Bunia, asked authorities to assess the outbreak before deciding whether students and teachers should return to classrooms. Authorities in Ituri had not immediately responded to a request for comment, according to The Associated Press.
What teachers and parents are asking for
The request is not an official order to postpone classes. It is an appeal for authorities to make the reopening decision using current outbreak data and clearly communicated health safeguards.
Teachers and parents told AP that existing protections were inadequate while transmission continued. The union said it was not opposed to resuming classes but wanted the safety of students and staff to come first.
The concern is particularly acute for families with young children. AP reported that children aged 4 and under had the highest case-fatality rate among age groups in the outbreak, at 60%.
What the outbreak data show
Two sets of figures describe the outbreak, but they should not be merged because they come from different reporting dates and authorities.
In its August 27 report, AP cited Congolese health authorities as reporting 5,713 confirmed cases and 2,744 deaths. Separately, the World Health Organization’s latest regional situation report, based on data through August 23, recorded 5,584 confirmed cases and 2,680 deaths.
WHO described the outbreak as marked by sustained transmission, high mortality and continued geographic expansion. The number of affected health zones had increased from 55 to 57 across six provinces, with newly affected zones reported in Bas-Uélé and Nord-Kivu.
What WHO guidance means for schools
WHO’s temporary recommendations, issued August 24 after an August 18 emergency committee review, assessed the risk for the Democratic Republic of the Congo as “very high” as of August 14.
The recommendations include a new measure calling for the safe opening of schools. They also require stronger surveillance, rapid identification and referral of suspected cases, contact tracing, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control, community engagement, continuity of essential health services and protection for health workers.
WHO says there are currently no approved vaccines or therapeutics specifically for Bundibugyo virus disease, although clinical trials are ongoing. That makes early detection, infection-control practices, reliable communication and public cooperation central to reducing transmission.
Why the decision affects more than attendance
The outbreak is already disrupting children’s access to care. UNICEF reported that use of essential health services fell 42% in four Ituri hotspot health zones — Bunia, Mongbwalu, Nizi and Rwampara — between April and June 2026. Across Ituri Province, service utilization declined by an estimated 13%.
Routine childhood vaccinations fell by more than half across the hotspot areas, including a 69% decline in first-dose measles vaccination in Mongbwalu. UNICEF also reported that facility-assisted deliveries fell 13% across the province during the same period.
As of August 2, UNICEF counted 743 confirmed child cases and 330 child deaths among people ages 0 to 17. Children represented nearly one-quarter of confirmed cases but almost one-third of deaths. Children under 5 were particularly affected, with more than 60% of confirmed cases in that age group resulting in death, compared with fewer than 30% among adults ages 18 and older.
The immediate question remains unresolved: whether schools in Ituri will reopen on September 1. The next significant update will be an official decision by Congolese or Ituri authorities, along with any school-level health protocol or reopening assessment. Families and teachers are asking for evidence that response capacity and visible protections have strengthened before students return.
Sources
- Associated Press report from Bunia on the school reopening dispute
- WHO temporary recommendations for the DRC Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak
- WHO Africa epidemiological situation report through August 23
- UNICEF assessment of child impacts and disrupted health services in Ituri
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