The number of candidates registered for the BEPC (Brevet d’Études du Premier Cycle) exam has seen an increase of nearly 9% compared to the last two sessions. The Ministry of National Education reported yesterday that 327,815 candidates have registered for the 2026 session, compared to 299,312 for 2025 and 299,130 for 2024.
According to several school principals, initiatives aimed at easing parental financial burdens have encouraged more families to enroll their children. “Our enrollment has doubled compared to last year. Students who had dropped out, mainly girls, have even returned to school thanks to the East Africa Girls’ Empowerment and Resilience (Eager) project,” says Clément Hervé Ratokindraiarintsoa, director of the General Education College (CEG) in Ambatolava, Vangaindrano. The Eager program, which Madagascar benefits from, aims to reintegrate out-of-school girls by helping them resume and maintain their education throughout their school journey.
In response to this increase, the network of examination centers has been expanded. The Ministry of National Education has opened thirty additional centers compared to last year, bringing the total to 1,101 written exam centers, distributed across 9,440 classrooms. The Lycée Moderne d’Ampefiloha stands out as the largest center for this session, set to host 2,991 candidates across 63 classrooms.
As in previous years, the majority of candidates, totaling 174,760, have chosen Option A, while 153,055 have opted for Option B. This session will see the participation of a 10-year-old candidate and a 38-year-old candidate, representing the youngest and oldest students of the 2026 session, respectively.
Captured & Published at: 2026-07-01 06:43:03 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/07/examen-les-candidats-au-bepc-augmentent.html