DRC: FRN launches new academic year in Goma despite Kinshasa decision

The 2026–2027 academic year began in Goma on October 15 with a ceremony at the Lake Campus of the University of Goma, in an area controlled by the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN). FRN vice-president Corneille Nangaa Yobeluo led the launch and criticized the Congolese government’s suspension of academic activities at public institutions in Goma and Bukavu. The Free University of the Great Lakes Countries also resumed classes, aiming to modernize teaching methods and align programs with labor-market needs. The suspension, ordered by a ministerial decree dated August 20, 2026, applies to 11 public higher-education institutions in Goma and Bukavu.