African education sectors announce 2026-2027 academic schedules and reforms

Various African nations and regional bodies have released updates regarding educational administration and academic schedules for the 2026-2027 period.

In Côte d'Ivoire, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research has set the academic year to begin on September 14, 2026, with the second semester concluding in June 2027. In Algeria, university classes are scheduled to start on September 22, 2026, following a period of faculty preparation starting September 13. Chad has also established its academic calendar, with teaching activities beginning on October 1, 2026, and concluding on June 30, 2027.

Regarding teacher administration, Tunisia's Ministry of National Education clarified the rules for contract teachers for the 2025-2026 period, noting that these temporary contracts do not grant automatic civil servant status and are subject to recruitment competitions.

On a regional level, the CEMAC Commission is meeting in Douala to work on harmonizing higher education and scientific research frameworks across its six member states. The goal is to standardize academic diplomas, programs, and equivalence systems to facilitate student and teacher mobility within the sub-region.