A new report placing a spotlight on school leadership for foundational literacy and numeracy in Côte d’Ivoire was published and launched today at an event in Abidjan in the presence of the African Union Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Gaspard Banyankimbona, and the Minister of Education, Literacy and Vocational Training of Cote d’Ivoire, Koffi N’Guessan.
The Spotlight report on Côte d’Ivoire is a partnership between the GEM Report and the Ministry of National Education, Literacy and Vocational Training of Côte d’Ivoire highlighting the country’s remarkable progress in expanding access to education and its commitment to strengthen school leadership for improved learning for all Ivoirian children. It is one of the five focus country reports that were part of the third cycle of the Spotlight report series, alongside those published on Cameroon, Kenya, Morocco and Zimbabwe and the continental report, entitled Lead for foundational learning (now also available in French) and launched in October.
Cote d’Ivoire has achieved major progress in improving access to education
The 2026 GEM Report, Access and equity: Countdown to 2030, released two weeks ago, shows that Côte d’Ivoire has made significant improvement in helping children access education, with 93% of children now enrolled in primary school. Across all three age groups from pre-primary to upper secondary, out-of-school rates are overall estimated to have halved in a quarter of a century. An in-depth case study on the reasons for this success in the Report highlights, among other factors, significant investment by the government to triple the number of public secondary schools, the 2015 Education Law making education free, the provision of bridging classes to help excluded children re-enter school.
Significant reforms are also underway to improve learning outcomes
The Spotlight country report on Côte d’Ivoire shows the accompanying reforms that have focused on improving foundational learning. These include the Ten-Year Education and Training Plan (2021–2030), which sets out a clear vision for equitable and quality education for all; the Competency-Based Curriculum that places learners at the center of the educational process; the scaling-up of the structured pedagogy approach through the National Programme for the Improvement of Early Learning (PNAPAS). The 2019 PASEC assessment shows that Ivorian teachers outperform their peers in other francophone African countries. The Spotlight report, which also draws on a survey of 60 primary schools, found that children in grades 1 to 3 had almost universal access to textbooks, an achievement that few African countries can match.
Produced in partnership with the Ministry for National Education, Literacy and Professional Training, the Spotlight report on Côte d’Ivoire celebrates these significant efforts, and highlights areas remaining to drive further improvements in learning outcomes.
A call to strengthen school leadership
The report calls for a comprehensive reform of school leadership in Côte d’Ivoire: from how principals are recruited to how they are supported once in post. This means establishing a transparent, merit-based selection process, investing in leadership training throughout principals’ careers, and freeing them from excessive teaching loads so they can focus on their core instructional role.
Beyond the principal, the report also urges a more collaborative model of governance, strengthening the role of school committees and local education authorities as genuine partners in improving learning outcomes.
Two good practices are highlighted as strong bases upon which to build further improvements:
- Performance contracts (contrats d’objectifs et de performance, COPs) encourage shared accountability among school leaders, teachers, parents and communities.
- Structured pedagogy through PNAPAS provides teachers with evidence-based lesson plans and tools to develop literacy and numeracy skills.
“The progress our country has made over the past decade is a testament to the commitment of our government, our teachers and our communities,” said Koffi N’Guessan, Minister of National Education, Literacy and Professional Training. “Every child is born to learn, yet we know that access alone is not enough. The findings of today’s new reports give us a clear roadmap for ensuring all Ivoirian children leave school with the knowledge and skills to build a better future: stronger school leadership, better-supported teachers, and a shared accountability that reaches from the classroom to the community. We are ready to act on it”.
Watch the Côte d’Ivoire Spotlight Report launch live on Facebook from 10 AM GMT
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