National Education: Back to School—But What Kind of Start?

By Eve MALONGA | LNC Translated into Englisn, by Karen Ann SULLIVAN l LNC

(Bangui, September 6, 2026 | LAMINE MÉDIA) The state of education in the Central African Republic is so dire that contract teachers assigned to the country’s 21 academic inspectorates are refusing en masse to report to their posts in the provinces. Faced with this de facto boycott, the Minister of National Education, Aurélien Simplice Kongbelet-Zingas, has issued an ultimatum: all teachers must return to their assigned locations no later than September 12. In a reminder that bordered on a plea, the minister saw fit to point out that August salaries had already been paid—an announcement touted as a remarkable feat, yet one that speaks volumes about the erratic nature of salary payments in the country. After all, why go to work when the pay is meager and often months late? The minister’s words sound like an appeal for "goodwill," or even sacrifice. And time is running out. The official calendar for the 2026–2027 school year is already set: administrative staff are due back on September 14, 2026, while classes for students and teaching staff are scheduled to begin on October 5, 2026. The minister is insisting strictly on adherence to these deadlines. Yet, sending teachers to the hinterland without security guarantees, infrastructure, or decent pay is a fantasy. This is the grim reality of national education in the Central African Republic: a dialogue of the deaf between a demanding ministry and a teaching workforce struggling to survive.

For: LAMINE MEDIA (in FR and GB)

Date: September 6 2026

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