At the end of the BEPC exams, the areas surrounding the examination centers were crowded with parents who had come to pick up their children. Between vigilance and secured travel, safety remained a top priority.
Outside the Jean-Joseph Rabearivelo High School examination center in Analakely, reunions between parents and candidates were frequent. Many parents insisted on being present to accompany them home.
“We cannot help but come to pick up our children after the exams. We are anxious and terrified following the recent wave of child disappearances,” confided Nathalie Rakotonarivo, who came to collect her child. Like her, many parents prefer not to take any risks in the current context.
However, not all candidates were accompanied. Some chose to return home together, following their families’ recommendations. “Our parents asked us not to go home alone. We must always stick together to avoid getting lost,” explains Fanantenana, a BEPC candidate, surrounded by several classmates as they prepared to leave the center.
Others preferred the free buses provided by the State. On board a Foton bus, Prisca explained that she has used this mode of transport since the start of the exams. “Since the beginning of the tests, the Foton bus has been my way of getting around because it makes our travel easier,” she testified.
Safety guidelines: The same situation was observed in front of several examination centers in the capital. Parents waited for their children until they exited before returning home together. “We don’t want to take any risks. It is better to remain cautious,” sums up Santatra, a mother who came to pick up her child.
This vigilance is also recommended by the authorities. During a press conference held the day before yesterday, Vonjy Maminjanahary Andriasy, Prefect of Police of Antananarivo, called on parents to come and pick up their children at the end of the BEPC exams.
In households, safety instructions are now repeated before every trip. “Before leaving the house, I remind my child not to speak to any strangers, to stay with classmates upon leaving the center, and to wait for me at the agreed-upon location. At the moment, we prefer to be very careful,” another parent testified.
Beyond success in exams, the safe return of children remains the parents’ priority. “I have another child who will be taking the baccalaureate exam very soon, and I will do the same thing,” continues Nathalie Rakotonarivo.
Captured & Published at: 2026-07-10 06:43:11 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/07/insecurite-les-parents-redoublent-de.html