Côte d’Ivoire bans paid reinforcement classes by teachers

The Ivorian Ministry of National Education, Literacy and Technical Education has banned teachers from providing paid reinforcement classes to their own students in primary and secondary schools. According to a directive issued on October 1, 2026, by Zamblé Bi Zamblé Germain, Director of Schools, Lycées, and Collèges (Delc), teachers are viewed as being on a public service mission.

The administration stated that educational success must not be conditioned on parents paying for additional services from their children's classroom teachers. The policy aims to ensure that teaching during official hours is of sufficient quality, accessible, and adapted to student needs, thereby addressing ethical and professional concerns regarding the growing practice of paid tutoring.

The decision has received mixed reactions from the public. Some parents welcomed the move, noting that paid sessions often overburden students and place a significant financial strain on families, with costs ranging from 250 to 500 F CFA per session or monthly fees between 10,000 and 15,000 F CFA per subject. Other community members expressed concerns that such classes previously provided an advantage, as teachers sometimes used tutoring sessions to cover material that would later appear on official class assignments.