Training and reclassification in the public sector: Adidjatou Mathys clarifies the rules
The Minister of Labor and Public Service, Adidjatou Mathys, has provided important details about the requirements for administrative regularization of State employees who undergo training.
Mathys-Adidjatou-ministre-du-travail-et-de-la-fonction-publique, @: Présidence du Bénin
In an official announcement dated Friday, July 11, 2025, she highlighted that continuing education and the recognition of received diplomas are strictly governed by a legal and regulatory mechanism.
According to the terms of the announcement, no training initiation is considered as a unilateral act of the staff. It must comply with several cumulative conditions, among these comprises the minimum service seniority: three to five years depending on the case, prior possession of the required diploma, a favorable and reasoned opinion from the hierarchical authority, prior authorization from the supervising minister, and enrollment in a valid training plan.
The Minister emphasizes a point often misunderstood by employees: reclassification is not the first step in administrative recognition of diplomas. “The first step in recognizing diplomas is not reclassification, but the attainment of a decision for an internship and return from an internship,” the announcement clarifies.
This document, being the only official proof of the conformity of the training, is issued at the end of an examination process conducted by technical committees comprising multiple ministries.
The Ministry of Labor’s services have also identified numerous irregularities. These include employees who left for training between 2010 and 2012 without prior authorization, non-validated substitutions of diplomas (such as replacing a bachelor’s degree with a master’s), or even trainings pursued outside any regulatory frameworks. To date, over 10,000 cases pending review have been recorded, across all administrative sectors.
Adidjatou Mathys reminded that reclassification will not be systematic: it will occur strictly based on the needs of the public administration. Therefore, she urges all concerned officers to respect the official channels for appeal and to comply with established procedures, in order to ensure transparent, fair, and rigorous management of careers in the Beninese public service.