• Côte d’Ivoire launched recruitment for 2,000 science teachers
• More than 43,000 applied, but fewer than 8,000 were shortlisted
• The move aims to ease a persistent shortage across secondary schools

Côte d’Ivoire has launched a major recruitment drive for 2,000 contract science teachers, marking a concrete step to address a long-standing shortage in secondary education.

The written exam phase took place on March 22 at the Lycée Classique in Abidjan, officially kicking off the process. The initiative targets teachers for middle and high schools in the general education system.

Out of 43,761 applicants, only 7,668 were shortlisted to compete for the available positions. The exam covers French, mathematics, and physics.

Education Minister Koffi N’Guessan, who oversaw the launch, credited the initiative to government backing. He thanked President Alassane Ouattara for approving the recruitment, calling it a necessary response to what he described as a serious issue.

The shortage of science teachers has been building for years and is increasingly affecting schools. At Bocanda’s modern high school, the principal warned in September 2025 that 68 classes risked losing 178 hours of weekly instruction due to a lack of teachers. In Téhini, another school reported that only 15 of 23 expected teachers had taken up their posts, leaving some classes without physics or math instructors.

The government estimates a shortfall of 1,453 math teachers in public secondary schools alone for the 2025–2026 academic year.

The issue extends beyond Côte d’Ivoire. UNESCO estimates that 90% of countries in sub-Saharan Africa face severe shortages of secondary school teachers and that the region will need 11.1 million additional teachers to meet 2030 education goals.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou