Benin – Reform in Secondary Education: A New Statutory Framework Comes into Effect
The secondary education sub-sector in Benin is taking a significant turn. In April 2025, President Patrice Talon signed a decree defining the standard statuses of public secondary, technical, and vocational education institutions.
Véronique Tognifodé, professeur agrégé en Gynécologie Obstétrique, ministre des Affaires Sociales et de la Microfinance
This text establishes the general rules governing the creation, missions, organization, and functioning of these institutions. It introduces a clear categorization of educational structures and specifies their legal regime.
One of the major innovations involves the establishment of a Board of Directors within each institution. As provided for in Article 17 of the decree, this body is responsible for defining the major directions of the institution and ensuring their execution. The members are appointed by the competent structures and nominated by decree in the Council of Ministers for a three-year term, renewable once.
With this reform, the Beninese government aims to strengthen the governance of public institutions and improve their educational and administrative effectiveness. The implementation of the new system is expected for the next school year, thus marking a new era in secondary education in Benin.