2026-2027 School Year in Benin: the CNE makes several recommendations

At the heart of the discussions: the continuous improvement of teaching quality and addressing the deficits in teaching staff across the entire national territory.

Among the major proposals arising from this consultation session is the extension of the Aspiring Teacher Program (AME) to the preschool education sub-sector.

Extend the AME Program to Strengthen Preschool Education

While the use of teachers from the AME database is now established in primary and secondary education, preschool education has long been left out of this emergency recruitment mechanism. In response to the growing demand for early childhood supervision and the desire to expand access to preschool education, the CNE suggests deploying AME starting in the 2026-2027 school year.

This recommendation aims to address the shortage of qualified staff in public preschools and ensure close pedagogical supervision from the youngest age.

Quality of Education, Monitoring, and Governance

In addition to the issue of staff numbers in preschool, the Council emphasized several strategic levers to ensure a successful school year:

• Pedagogical Monitoring and Evaluations: The CNE recommends harmonizing classroom practices and consolidating evaluation reforms to raise the level of learner achievement.
• Infrastructure and Logistics: The Council stresses the need for anticipation in classroom arrangements and ensuring that educational materials are available on time before the day of class restructuring.
• Working Conditions for Staff: The regular processing of AME and the efficient management of their assignments have been highlighted as essential conditions for maintaining a calm social climate throughout the year.

By making these proposals, the CNE aims to provide the government and sectoral ministries with an operational roadmap to approach the 2026-2027 school year with a focus on efficiency and territorial equity.