CEP 2026 in Benin: a special security arrangement announced in the north

The Minister of Preschool and Primary Education, Armand Natta, delivered a solemn message on Sunday, May 31, on the eve of the written tests of the Primary Education Certificate (CEP) 2026, which begins on Monday, June 1, and lasts until Thursday, June 4, inclusive, covering written, oral, and sports phases. He called on candidates to remain “calm and without panic,” to be punctual, and to bring all their necessary tools. The tests will take place in 847 examination centers spread across the entire national territory.

The 2026 session includes 286,995 registered candidates, of whom 138,571 are girls and 148,424 are boys. Among them, 286,898 are candidates without major difficulties, and 97 are candidates with special needs (PBS), including 36 girls, distributed across 13 adapted centers. Compared to the 2025 session, which had 273,735 candidates, the enrollment rate has increased by 5.56%, a rise that Natta attributes primarily to the implementation of the Integrated National School Feeding Program (PNASI), which he presents as the most determining factor in the increase in enrollments and school retention.

The minister announced that at the initiative of certain school directors since the 2023 session, school canteens will be opened in the examination centers where possible, a measure made official for this year’s session. He praised the commitment of the concerned directors and all the stakeholders involved.

A special security arrangement deployed in some departments

Armand Natta reported on an exceptional security arrangement put in place by the Wadagni government “around and inside every center opened in certain departments.” Without explicitly naming the affected departments, he referred to “the security situation in part of the country,” a phrase that implicitly refers to the northern departments, particularly Alibori and Atacora, where armed groups linked to jihadist organizations have been present since 2022. He urged parents to “trust the Government more to reassure their children about the unwavering nature of the security arrangement.”

The CEP is held under the inter-ministerial decree No. 0224 of April 1, 2026, establishing the calendar for examinations, competitions, and tests in the Republic of Benin. The exam is organized under the supervision of the Ministry of Preschool and Primary Education, which also coordinates with departmental directors, political-administrative authorities, and technical and financial partners. The minister paid tribute to all these stakeholders, as well as the social partners “who work in good faith” to maintain a peaceful school environment.

An exam qualified as a “barometer” of the primary education system

Minister Armand Natta presented the CEP as “the ultimate barometer of achieving the general objectives set for the programs implemented for student training,” and its attainment as “an additional reason for motivation” for further studies in secondary education. The inter-ministerial decree specifies that only candidates who meet all the certification evaluation criteria will be declared admitted.

The launch of the tests will be officially presided over by the minister in the commune of Aplahoué, in the Couffo department. The June 2026 session takes place in a context of institutional transition. Armand Natta, appointed by decree No. 2026-314 of May 24 in the first government of Romuald Wadagni, takes charge of a portfolio just days before the first major national exam of the seven-year term.