Abidjan, September 1, 2025 – Presiding over the major back-to-school meeting for the 2025-2026 academic year on Monday, September 1, 2025, at Lycée Classique d’Abidjan-Cocody, Professor Mariatou Koné, Minister of National Education and Literacy, presented the reforms being implemented by her ministry to promote excellence in schools.
This school year, which begins on Monday, September 8, 2025, at 7:30 a.m., is themed “Quality Education, a Lever for the Sustainable Transformation of Côte d’Ivoire.” The Minister aims to mobilize the entire education community to meet the challenges assigned to her department.
During this traditional meeting, she outlined the guidelines to achieve long-term performance. These include the revision of the school map: new standards now require the systematic inclusion of a pre-primary class in the construction of every new school to generalize access to preschool education, increasing the number of classes from six to seven.
Support for School Management Committees (COGES) is also emphasized. The government has maintained the elimination of exceptional fees and increased subsidies to COGES, which now amount to more than 18 billion CFA francs.
The valorization of teachers is another priority, with the ministry set to reward the “best primary school teacher” and the “best secondary school teacher.”
Objective and Performance Contracts (COP) are being expanded. The pilot phase with Regional Directors will now include school principals. Over 3 billion CFA francs will be allocated to 10 Preschool and Primary Education Inspections (IEPP) and 400 middle schools to support the implementation of their support plans.
Professor Mariatou Koné also called on all actors in Ivorian education to view schools as a collective asset, above partisan interests, to guarantee the right to education for all children in Côte d’Ivoire.
In a keynote speech on “Education, Science, and Development,” special guest Professor Adama Diawara, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, suggested ways to encourage learners’ interest in scientific subjects, noting the significant challenge posed by the lack of enthusiasm for mathematics and physics, as well as the shortage of teachers in these disciplines.
Digitalization, a flagship measure of the National Education and Literacy General Assembly (EGENA), will play a major role this school year with the introduction of Information and Communication Technologies for Education (ICTE) in pre-primary and primary school curricula.
The academic calendar for 2025-2026, new teaching tools, textbooks, and pilot programs for CP1, CP2, and 6th grade in 56 primary schools and 54 secondary institutions were also discussed by Zamblé Bi Zamblé Germain, Director of Schools, High Schools and Colleges (DELC), Nurudine Doukouré Naminata, Director of Pedagogy and Continuing Education (DPFC), and Yenataban Koné, Director of Technologies and Information Systems (DTSI).
The 2025-2026 school year is divided as follows:
· First term: Monday, September 8 to Friday, November 28, 2025
· Second term: Monday, December 1, 2025, to Friday, February 27, 2026
· Third term: Monday, March 2 to Friday, May 8, 2026