More than 1,300 students, despite having been admitted to sixth grade in the La Mé region (Adzopé) , were expelled from secondary school at the end of the 2024-2025 academic year. The reason given was a critical deficiency in mastering fundamental reading and writing skills , as reported by Soir Info . This shocking announcement highlights the persistent shortcomings in primary education.

Alarming Diagnosis from the Regional Director

The information was officially announced on Monday, December 8, 2025, by Akadié Noël , the Regional Director of National Education and Literacy (DRENA) of Adzopé. He was speaking at a working meeting held at the Inspectorate of Preschool and Primary Education (IEPP) of Alépé, in the presence of key stakeholders in the education system (supervisors, teachers, unions, COGES).

According to the regional director, these students, despite officially progressing to sixth grade, lack the necessary prerequisites to successfully complete middle school courses. He described this situation as incompatible with the requirements of secondary education, thus justifying their expulsion.

The Primary Cycle Under Scrutiny

Akadié Noël directly pointed to the primary cycle as the main source of this massive failure, attributing the observed gaps to a deficit in learning the fundamentals from a young age .

1. He called on primary school stakeholders in his district, demanding more rigor and professional conscience , particularly during end-of-year assessments and exams.
2. The director stressed the need to "give children good habits" by strengthening the teaching of reading, writing and arithmetic.
3. He warned that the automatic or insufficiently supervised promotion of vulnerable students jeopardized the entire education system, leading to resounding failures in secondary school.

Warning Against Falsification of Results

Speaking specifically to teachers, the regional director reminded them of the obligation to strictly respect ministerial directives and the administrative hierarchy.

"You must not take any important decisions or initiatives without informing your superiors," he warned.

This warning specifically targets non-compliant practices, such as validating levels without actual mastery of skills . Educational authorities believe that these abuses contribute to distorting academic results and masking students' real difficulties until they reach secondary school.

Beyond purely educational issues, the dismissal of more than a thousand students raises serious questions about their reorientation and the increased risk of dropping out of school , putting a stop to the ambitions of the Ivorian state in terms of education for all.