According to the Association of Professors at the University of Kinshasa (APUKIN), 15 of their members have passed away since the beginning of January 2020. The names of the professors which were published by the Association's President Mathieu Bokolo, includes the renowned Congolese Professor Jean-Jacques Kazadi Nduba Wa Dile; who was the first President of CODESRIA, the largest organisation of African social science workers on the continent. He died on 23th April 2020.
Sending his condolences to the family of the deceased, Higher and University Education Minister Thomas Luhaka, raised concerns about the poor living conditions of the country's Professors and called for them to be improved.
Earlier in the year members of APUKIN went on strike after government backtracked on a promise to meet their demands; the members wanted, among other things, for government to increase their salaries and provide additional allowance. According to Bokolo, an agreement was reached with the state 10 years ago for salaries to move from USD1400 to USD 2000 per month.
It's not clear whether the deal has now been implemented, however the Professors have since returned to work.
A 2018 report released by former Minister of Higher and University Education Steve Mbikay, revealed that the Democratic Republic of Congo has 3000 Professors that caters for 4000000 students; this according to Mbikayi is an average of 1 Professor per 200 students
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