Senegal launches fully digital CFEE exam and ends 6th‑grade entrance competition

On 17 June 2026 Senegal held the Certificat de Fin d’Études Élémentaires (CFEE) for 306 485 pupils – 56.6 % girls and 5.4 % Franco‑Arab candidates – across 2 081 examination centres. The session introduced the “CFEE dans le centre” model, whereby registration, QR‑code authentication, exam administration, correction, scoring and result declaration are all performed locally through the ANADOLE digital platform, allowing results to be published in under ten days.

The reform also abolished the national entrance‑exam for sixth‑grade (classe de sixième), a change announced by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and defended as a step toward greater equity. Inclusive measures were expanded: 132 candidates with special needs received adapted materials such as Braille scripts, and the number of students lacking civil‑status documents fell to 58 462.

Teachers and parents expressed mixed reactions. Many welcomed the removal of the competitive entry barrier, while others voiced concerns about potential overcrowding in secondary schools and the need for clearer guidance on progression criteria.