• Ivory Coast received 24,185 applications for 3,225 available teacher training and civil service positions in 2026.
• Candidates face intense competition, with up to 89 applicants per position in the most selective category.
• The recruitment drive aims to address a persistent teacher shortage amid rapidly growing student enrolment.

Ivory Coast launched the entrance examinations for its national teacher training school, the Teacher Training College (ENS), for the 2026 intake as the government intensifies efforts to strengthen the education sector.

The Ministry of National Education and Literacy announced the process on Sunday, May 3, through its official communication channels. Authorities validated 24,185 applications for 3,225 available positions in the public education system.

As a result, roughly seven candidates compete for each available post, highlighting strong demand for public sector teaching jobs and increasing pressure from a growing number of university graduates seeking stable employment.

Three Categories, Three Examination Tracks

The ministry said the written exams will proceed in separate phases depending on candidate profiles. A total of 2,998 candidates compete for 1,275 positions as secondary school teachers.

Next, 7,830 candidates compete for 1,800 middle school teacher positions. In addition, 13,357 candidates compete for just 150 educator positions, which represent the most competitive category with nearly 89 candidates per available post.

The government said the strong participation “confirms the strategic importance of the teaching profession and the central role of schools in the country’s development.”

Authorities scheduled the admission results for late June, while oral examinations will take place in July ahead of final results expected by mid-July 2026.

Policy Response to Structural Teacher Shortages

The recruitment drive forms part of broader government efforts to address persistent staffing shortages in the education system. Successful candidates will complete two years of training at ENS before entering the workforce.

The ministry said 2,337 teachers and 3,435 trainee teachers will join schools in the next academic intake to strengthen staffing levels across the country.

Earlier, Education Minister Mariatou Koné announced in February 2025 an exceptional recruitment of 2,855 contract teachers to reduce regional disparities and staffing gaps.

In addition, the government’s social program planned the recruitment of 23,901 preschool and primary school teachers between 2022 and 2024, along with 11,508 secondary school teachers over the same period.

Education System Under Demographic Pressure

The 2026 ENS intake takes place as the Ivorian education system continues to face significant structural pressure. Secondary school enrolment rose to 3.2 million students in 2024-2025 from 1.9 million in 2017-2018, representing a 67.1% increase.

As a result, demand for teachers has outpaced available capacity across the system. The number of secondary schools more than doubled over the same period to 3,901 from 1,778. However, private institutions still account for 76.6% of schools and remain concentrated in urban areas.

In rural regions, structural shortages persist. The completion rate for lower secondary education reached 68.9% in 2022, up from 34.5% in 2012, although authorities still consider the improvement insufficient relative to demographic growth.

Meanwhile, exam outcomes remain under pressure. The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) pass rate stood at 40.18% in 2024, while the baccalaureate pass rate reached 34.17%, underscoring the ongoing tension between expanding access and maintaining education quality.

This article was initially published in French by Félicien Houindo Lokossou

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum