ABIDJAN — Côte d’Ivoire opened its 2026 national school examination season on Monday, May 18, with more than 600,000 primary school pupils sitting for the Certificate of Elementary Primary Studies (Certificat d’Études Primaires Élémentaires, CEPE).
According to official figures, 609,384 candidates — 305,912 boys (50.2%) and 303,472 girls (49.8%) — were spread across 2,763 examination centers nationwide. The CEPE, a one-day written test, serves as the gateway to secondary education for final-year primary students.
Call for Credibility and Integrity
The launch ceremony took place at Groupe Scolaire Palmeraie in Yopougon-Port-Bouët II, presided over by Minister of National Education, Literacy, and Technical Education N’Guessan Koffi. He was joined by Yopougon Mayor Adama Bictogo and the Director of Exams and Concours (DECO), Kadidiata Diarra Badji.
Speaking under the theme “An educational community determined to ensure credible exams,” Minister Koffi urged candidates, teachers, and parents to reject malpractice.
“Exams must be credible: no fraud, but no stress either, because the school year progressed smoothly,” he said. “We must evaluate our children objectively so we can know their true level, address systemic weaknesses, and continue reinforcing our educational system.”
The Minister defended the quality of Ivorian public education, noting that student performance in international competitions demonstrates the strength of national standards.
Massive Scope: 1.5 Million Candidates Nationwide
The CEPE marks the start of a month-long national evaluation period. Government statistics show that a total of 1,568,831 candidates will sit for exams in 2026, including 606,583 for the lower secondary BEPC (May 26–29) and 329,372 for the high school Baccalauréat (June 15–19).
The Ministry of Education has assured the public that security and administrative measures are in place to guarantee smooth operations throughout the exam period.
