Understanding the Education System of Madagascar

Madagascar’s education system includes national school examinations, technical and vocational awards, university licences, master’s degrees and doctoral study. This guide follows those routes with current official rules and concrete institutional examples, checked on 19 October 2026.

The most important reading precaution is the difference between an enacted structure and the classes a current cohort actually attends. The guide also separates new curriculum resources, dated examination arrangements and planned expansions, so that a future reform is not mistaken for a completed change in every school.

Original AI-generated editorial illustration; imagined learning spaces, not a photograph of an actual institution.

Madagascar education at a glance

Stage or question	Short answer
School structure	Operating ministry descriptions: five primary, four collège and three lycée years. The enacted 6+3+3 design must be distinguished from current cohorts.
Starting duty	Compulsory education from five; implementation details and progressive lower-secondary provision require the applicable regulations.
School awards	CEPE at primary completion; BEPC after collège; baccalauréat after lycée. Award and next-stage admission are separate checks.
Languages	Malagasy and French are the legally named instructional languages; check the actual programme.
Technical study	Multiple occupational entry levels; a BTS is a post-baccalauréat technical qualification.
Higher education	Licence is a first degree; master’s follows it. Doctoral entry and completion have new June 2026 rules.
2027 examinations	Match BEPC curriculum and baccalauréat series/options to the candidate’s cohort and session.

Choose your reading route

Follow entry and school learning, compare certificates and professional routes, or jump to higher qualifications and practical decisions.

1. A system in transition: distinguish the law from a learner’s cohort

Madagascar’s education system is best understood through the qualification a learner is working towards and the curriculum used by that learner’s school. The Ministry of National Education handles school education; the Ministry of Technical Education and Vocational Training publishes occupational pathways; the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research oversees higher-education rules. Their examinations, entrance competitions and programme authorisations serve different purposes.

The 2023 education law sets out six primary years followed by two three-year secondary cycles. Education Law 2022-018.

However, the ministry’s operating stage descriptions and currently published school resources still identify five primary years, four collège years and three lycée years. This guide explains the operating 5+4+3 route alongside the enacted design, rather than assuming that every school has already changed its grade boundaries. Ministry curriculum-resource catalogue.

For a transfer or examination entry, record the school year, class label, curriculum version and intended award. A policy announcement about a future structure is insufficient to decide whether a particular child should repeat a year, skip a class or register for a different examination.

Back to reading routes · Next: Following the operating school ladder

2. Following the operating school ladder

The ministry’s primary-stage page identifies five classes: 11e, 10e, 9e, 8e and 7e. The resource catalogue also labels primary materials T1–T5. These two naming conventions can appear on different records. Match the class to its position in the programme instead of reading “7e” as seven completed primary years. Ministry primary-stage description, Ministry curriculum-resource catalogue.

Collège has four classes: 6e, 5e, 4e and 3e, corresponding to the next four school years. The ministry describes entry through the primary certificate and the entrance competition for sixième. Lycée follows with seconde, première and terminale. Its entry arrangements include the lower-secondary certificate and a competition affected by available places. Ministry collège entry and structure, Ministry lycée entry and structure.

The main general-education milestones are the Certificat d’Études Primaires Élémentaires (CEPE), the Brevet d’Études du Premier Cycle (BEPC) and the baccalauréat. A certificate records attainment; admission to the next institution also requires the applicable selection outcome. In a family’s planning sheet, keep “award obtained” and “place offered” in separate columns.

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3. Compulsory education and preschool access

The law makes education compulsory from five and provides for free public primary education. It specifies one compulsory year of school pre-initiation. Lower-secondary compulsion is to be implemented progressively according to municipal resources, with detailed arrangements set by regulation. These provisions should not be converted into a single, confidently universal school-leaving birthday. Education Law 2022-018.

The June 2026 Stratégie Nationale de l’Éducation Préscolaire (SNEP), or National Preschool Education Strategy, addresses children aged three to five. UNICEF’s publication reports access of 39.5% and describes an ambition to reach 2.7 million children over five years. This is a strategy and expansion target, not evidence that every eligible child already has a place. National preschool strategy, June 2026.

A family comparing early-years settings should distinguish a place for a three-year-old from the compulsory pre-initiation year. Ask which group the child will enter, how the setting prepares the transition to primary school and whether the offered timetable is actually available. The existing Madagascar preschool guide explores early-years choices in more detail.

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4. Languages and early learning

Malagasy and French are the languages of instruction named in the education law; other languages can be taught as subjects. Education Law 2022-018.

The ministry-published T1 curriculum gives substantial space to Malagasy and mathematics, alongside French language-and-culture awareness, citizenship-related learning, arts and physical education. Its timetable assigns nine hours to Malagasy, seven to mathematics and two hours fifty minutes to French awareness. These are features of that curriculum resource, not a claim that every lesson in every school uses the same language. Ministry-published T1 curriculum.

For example, a child may confidently explain a quantity orally yet struggle to read a written instruction in another language. A useful home activity is to ask the child to describe how they grouped ten objects, then connect the explanation to the words used in the exercise book. This separates mathematical understanding from difficulty decoding the question. It also gives the teacher a more precise observation than “the child is weak in maths”.

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5. School entry, transfers and household costs

The ministry’s dated 2025/26 public-school entry instructions made registration and re-registration free, subject to capacity. They restricted parents’ contributions for association-employed teachers to an approved process and provided exemptions for vulnerable children through local identification. Insurance was treated separately. For intermediate-class transfers, the instructions distinguished previous public-school attendance from entry tests for learners coming from private or non-formal provision; the main 6e and seconde entrance competitions remained separate. These are documented arrangements for that school year, to be checked against the next applicable notice. Public-school entry instructions, 2025/26.

Do not turn “free registration” into a household budget of zero. List the costs the family actually faces: materials, transport, food, any accommodation and any separately authorised charge. Request the written basis for a contribution and an explanation of available exemptions. For a transfer, carry the previous report, certificate where applicable and a record of the curriculum studied. A place in an intermediate class and permission to enter an examination are separate administrative questions.

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6. Primary assessment and the CEPE

An official report records the CEPE sitting on 16 June 2026. The certificate is the primary-stage milestone; the ministry’s collège description also refers to an entrance competition. Completing classroom work, earning the certificate and securing a particular collège place therefore need to be tracked separately. Official CEPE sitting report, June 2026, Ministry collège entry and structure.

UNICEF’s 2023 Data Must Speak research describes promotion in the first four primary years and the CEPE at the end of the fifth. It found school-level judgement in promotion and CEPE thresholds between 9/20 and 10/20 depending on the school district, or circonscription scolaire (CISCO). This is dated research evidence, not a current nationwide rule that every candidate passes with nine. For a present sitting, obtain the applicable district and examination instructions. UNICEF school-performance research, 2023.

A practical revision record can contain three columns: skill attempted, error observed and next exercise. If a pupil consistently answers oral comprehension questions but misses written instructions, repeating complete past papers alone may conceal the problem. The teacher can use the pattern to decide whether to prioritise reading, calculation, vocabulary or an unfamiliar question format.

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7. What the new collège resources ask pupils to learn

The ministry-published T9 curriculum includes Malagasy, French, English, mathematics, life and earth sciences, physics, history, geography, citizenship learning, arts and physical education. It describes learning outcomes and practical activities rather than only lists of topics. A mathematics example asks learners to distinguish categories of numbers and justify their reasoning. A subject’s presence in a curriculum does not, by itself, prove that it will have a separate paper in a particular national examination. Ministry-published T9 curriculum.

The September 2026 T9 annual plan organises learning into five blocks: three of seven weeks and two of six. Teachers develop weekly plans and arrange assessments. The document identifies its use in public schools and the relevance of alignment for private schools preparing candidates for examinations. It is a teaching-planning resource, not a substitute for the school’s actual dated calendar. T9 annual teaching plan, September 2026.

When moving schools, compare work already covered against the receiving class’s plan. Two pupils both labelled 3e may have studied topics in a different sequence. A short topic comparison can identify a manageable gap without assuming that the whole previous year has been lost.

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8. The BEPC and the 2027 curriculum transition

The BEPC is the lower-secondary completion milestone. For the 2027 sitting, the distinction between the older programme and the newer curriculum is especially important. Do not choose examination subjects solely from a general description of the reform or from a September announcement.

On 12 October 2026, 2424 reported a ministry clarification allowing separate BEPC question papers for the old and new programmes, with options A and B retained for candidates following the older programme. The report discusses transitional arrangements involving private schools. This is explicitly an attributed report of the ministry’s announcement; the underlying signed examination instruction was not available for this guide’s checks. Confirm the candidate’s curriculum and registration category with the school and examination authority. 2424 report of ministry clarification, 12 October 2026.

The useful question is specific: “Which programme and option will this candidate be registered under for this sitting?” Obtain the corresponding subject list and preparation materials. A friend at another school may be accurately describing their own registration while giving advice that does not apply to this learner.

Back to reading routes · Previous chapter · Next: Entering lycée and choosing an upper-secondary direction

9. Entering lycée and choosing an upper-secondary direction

The ministry describes lycée as three years: seconde, première and terminale. Entry to seconde depends on the BEPC and an entrance competition, with places limited by reception capacity. A family should therefore check both examination success and the actual placement outcome. The general lycée route and an occupational or technical programme require different entry checks. Ministry lycée entry and structure.

Before choosing a direction, compare the student’s strongest sustained work, the subjects needed for a likely next programme and the teaching actually offered by the school. For example, an interest in computing should prompt a close look at mathematics preparation and the entry requirements of a computing degree. An interest in a skilled trade should prompt investigation of the relevant training award, practical facilities and selection process. Neither decision is resolved merely by choosing the route with the most impressive-sounding title.

Back to reading routes · Previous chapter · Next: Baccalauréat series and the 2027 transition

10. Baccalauréat series and the 2027 transition

Decree 2026-2100 of 31 August 2026 amended the general baccalauréat’s organisation. It identifies L for literary study, S for scientific study and OSE for Organisation, Société et Économie. A candidate enters one series in a session. The amended provisions distinguish compulsory written examinations, a compulsory choice of second foreign language and physical education, with detailed subjects, durations and coefficients set by joint order. Baccalauréat amendment, August 2026.

The higher-education ministry’s 1 October clarification addresses the 2027 cohort: L retains the L, A1 and A2 options, while S retains S, C and D; OSE remains unchanged. Thus the newer series framework and the transitional options must be read together. A learner should preserve the exact series and option shown on their registration rather than replacing it with a simplified label from a general guide. Ministry 2027 baccalauréat clarification.

This matters for revision and later applications. Build a subject checklist from the actual session instructions, then compare it with the entrance requirements of the intended university or technical programme. A broad “science” description may hide differences in the papers studied and their coefficients.

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11. Baccalauréat marks, jury decisions and mentions

The 2021 base decree, read with the 2026 amendment, grades papers from zero to twenty and provides a pass at an overall average of at least ten. The jury can lower the admission threshold, but not below 9.50; a mark of 9.50 is therefore not an automatic entitlement to pass. Absence receives zero, and a zero is eliminatory unless the jury decides otherwise. Mentions are passable below twelve, assez bien from twelve to below fourteen, bien from fourteen to below sixteen and très bien from sixteen. The accessible full text linked here is Lexxika’s reproduction of the decree. 2021 baccalauréat decree, reproduced by Lexxika.

The 2026 instrument expressly leaves the other provisions unchanged. Keep the result notice, marks and final certificate together: an overall outcome alone may not answer a selective programme’s questions about particular subjects. If a candidate disputes an administrative detail, use the examination authority’s current procedure rather than assuming that a school can alter a national jury’s result. Baccalauréat amendment, August 2026.

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12. Technical and vocational awards have different starting points

The Ministry of Technical Education and Vocational Training catalogue shows several distinct routes. A Certificat de Fin d’Apprentissage (CFA) takes two years after completion of 7e and an entrance competition. The three-year Certificat d’Aptitude Professionnel (CAP) requires completed 5e, the CEPE and selection. A Brevet d’Étude Professionnel (BEP) takes three years after completed 3e and selection. The technological baccalauréat takes three years with BEPC and competition entry. The catalogue also lists a two-year post-baccalauréat BTS route. These are separate programmes, not consecutive stages that every learner must complete. Technical ministry’s qualification catalogue.

BTS means Brevet de Technicien Supérieur in the governing law. Education Law 2022-018.

When comparing offers, ask for the exact award, entry level, specialty, duration and assessment requirements. A certificate of attendance at a short workshop should not be presented as a complete occupational diploma. Equally, an administrative employment classification in a catalogue should not be treated as automatic permission to enter a particular university year. Obtain the receiving institution’s decision before planning a transfer.

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13. Practical training and recognising previous experience

The technical ministry’s resource catalogue published September 2026 training materials for fields including photovoltaic installation, printing-equipment maintenance, cooking and restaurant service. These examples show why the specialty matters: the equipment, supervised practice and evidence of competence needed for electrical installation differ from those needed in hospitality. A catalogue entry alone does not establish that every nearby centre currently offers that programme. Technical ministry’s September 2026 training resources.

Validation des Acquis de l’Expérience (VAE), recognition of experience, is another route. The ministry’s guidance specifies applicants aged at least twenty-three with five years of relevant experience, without requiring a prior academic diploma. Assessment can involve a documented portfolio, interview and practical evaluation before a jury. The guidance covers awards within the ministry’s remit up to BTS level; applications depend on the announced opportunities. Technical ministry’s experience-validation guidance.

For an experienced cook, a useful evidence file would describe actual duties, training, employment periods and examples of work that can be verified. Years spent in a workplace do not by themselves demonstrate every competence in an award. The candidate needs to show what they can do against the selected qualification’s requirements.

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14. Reading the 2026–27 vocational action plan

The technical ministry’s 2026–27 action plan includes revision of ten curricula, an entrepreneurship module of sixty hours in specified CAP, BEP and professional-baccalauréat programmes from 2027, and further development of VAE. Its target of five thousand VAE certifications in 2027 is a planned result, not a count already achieved. The existence of current VAE guidance and a plan to strengthen it are compatible. Technical ministry’s 2026–27 action plan.

For a student already enrolled, the practical issue is whether a change applies to their intake. Ask the centre to identify the curriculum version, the award it is authorised to prepare and the assessment arrangements for that cohort. For a new applicant, inspect how practical learning is organised: available equipment, supervised tasks, placement arrangements and how a failed practical component can be addressed. These questions are more useful than treating the action plan as a guarantee that every centre has already received new facilities.

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15. University entry is programme-specific

At IT University, the 2026/27 first-year admissions page identifies holders of a scientific or technological baccalauréat and students in mathematics and physics, and selection by application and individual interview. An application before the baccalauréat result remains conditional on meeting the final entry requirements. The page separately describes master’s entry using an informatics licence or equivalent. Confirm precise eligibility with IT University; this is its procedure, not a national admissions formula. IT University admissions, 2026/27.

A different example is the École Normale Supérieure at Fianarantsoa. Its published 2025/26 first-year licence competition combined written tests with an oral stage addressing motivation and aptitude for teaching. Those dated arrangements illustrate a competitive teacher-education route; they are not presented here as an open 2026/27 call. Fianarantsoa teacher-education competition, 2025/26.

Prepare a shortlist by programme rather than by institution name alone. For each choice, record the accepted baccalauréat series, required subject background, selection stages, documents and current deadline. Admission to one department does not establish eligibility for every course offered by the same institution.

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16. Licence credits and assessment

The ministry’s licence-authorisation template describes a six-semester, 180-credit programme, normally thirty credits per semester. Its credit model includes the learner’s total work, not only classroom contact. It asks institutions to specify continuous and final assessment, component weightings, retakes, compensation (offsetting lower marks with higher marks under programme rules) and any eliminatory marks. The template’s illustrative tables are not a universal rule that every subject uses the same examination percentage. Ministry licence authorisation template.

A licence is a first degree in the Licence–Master–Doctorat (LMD) structure. A transcript should identify the units completed and credits earned. Three years enrolled and a completed degree are different statements: outstanding units, a placement or a final project may remain. When comparing a transfer offer, ask which completed units will be recognised and what must still be assessed, rather than assuming that elapsed study time converts automatically into admission to the final year.

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17. A concrete first-degree pathway in computing

IT University’s licence is advertised as three years and 180 credits. Its computing pathway begins with shared foundations such as programming, databases, networks, mathematics and communication, followed by specialisation. The published development curriculum includes a ten-credit mini-project in semester four. The programme also describes an industry placement with academic and professional supervision, followed by a final industrial project defended before a jury. Its Digital Leadership pathway has a different specialisation starting point, so the same timing should not be imposed on every listed option. IT University licence curriculum and completion.

An applicant can use this example to test personal readiness. Enjoying phone applications is different from being willing to debug a program, work with mathematical ideas and explain a design decision. A small original project, such as a book-loan database with a clear record of testing, can help a student discover which parts of the work they enjoy. It is preparation for learning, not a substitute for the formal admission process.

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18. Master’s programmes, M1 and M2

The ministry’s explanation of LMD describes a master’s as a further 120 credits after the 180-credit licence, bringing the cumulative total to 300. It also discusses personal research work or a mémoire (research dissertation) and, where applicable, a placement. Use this for the qualification structure; the page’s historical institutional statistics are not current enrolment figures. Ministry explanation of LMD qualifications.

At the University of Mahajanga’s École de Tourisme, the advertised master’s takes two years and 120 credits after a licence. Its pathways include cultural engineering, marine and geological tourism, and hotel management. The school also advertises short professional training, which should be distinguished from its complete licence and master’s programmes. Mahajanga tourism school’s programmes.

M1 and M2 identify the first and second master’s years. A useful special case is IT University’s partner programme in Mobiquité, Bases de Données et intégration de Systèmes (MBDS), linked with Université Côte d’Azur. Its advertised one-year M2 includes an internship and expects a bac+4 computing background or equivalent, with joint selection. It is not evidence that a new licence graduate can complete the whole two-year master’s sequence in one year. IT University’s partner M2 programme.

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19. The June 2026 doctoral rules

Decree 2026-1547 requires a national non-professional master’s or a ministry-recognised equivalent for doctoral entry, together with approval of the project and appropriate supervision and disciplinary links. Preparation normally takes three full-time research years; approved extensions cannot take the total beyond six. Registration is renewed annually. Before defence, candidates must complete at least three years, required doctoral-school courses and qualifying scientific output: a published article or two oral or written communications with proceedings. The decree specifies quality conditions, including recognised indexed journals and the candidate’s place among the principal authors for the article route, and excludes predatory or unsuitable publications. Defence is normally public, subject to a confidentiality exception. It also gives already-enrolled first- to third-year candidates a six-month alignment period. Doctoral decree, June 2026.

A prospective researcher should discuss the proposed topic, supervision and feasible publication plan before applying. Keep a record of research progress and the doctoral school’s written requirements. A professional master’s title alone should not be assumed to satisfy the decree’s entry category; the relevant recognition or eligibility decision needs to be established.

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20. Distance study and a real upcoming intake

The June 2026 distance higher-education decree requires academic standards, workload and credits equivalent to the corresponding provision. Equal award value depends on authorisation and compliant teaching and assessment. A national distance award must be backed by an authorised in-person programme at the same institution, with the corresponding programme and assessment framework. The decree also addresses candidate identification, secure assessment and possible in-person regrouping. A course delivered through messages or video calls does not acquire degree status from its delivery technology alone. Distance higher-education decree, June 2026.

Mahajanga’s tourism school announced a January 2027 first-year intake for its distance professional master’s in Management Digital et Communication Touristique (MDCT), with licence-level entry. The reopened application deadline was 11 October 2026, already past at this guide’s review date. This is an identified programme and cohort, not a claim that applications remain open. Mahajanga distance-master’s January 2027 intake.

A working applicant should obtain the assessment schedule before committing. Check whether any examinations, practical work or meetings require travel, and budget for those requirements as well as connectivity. Ask what happens if a connection fails during an assessed activity and which official record confirms the modules completed.

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21. Programme authorisation and recognition

The ministry’s order of 23 June 2026 establishes progressive quality-assurance and accreditation arrangements for higher-education institutions and programmes. It distinguishes stages of institutional maturity from formal accreditation. An institution describing itself as developing its quality system has not thereby demonstrated that every programme is accredited. Check the institution and the particular award, including its delivery mode, against current ministry authorisation and accreditation information. Quality and accreditation order, June 2026.

For a practical verification, obtain the exact legal institution name, programme title, award, authorisation reference and campus or delivery arrangement. Match these to the offer letter and certificate promised. If studying abroad later is the goal, ask the receiving institution about recognition using the actual programme documents. A domestic authorisation and a foreign admissions decision answer different questions; neither should be replaced with an advertising claim of universal recognition.

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22. French-curriculum schooling and transfers

The French primary school at Ampefiloha is part of the Lycée Français de Tananarive network and describes a French-approved curriculum within the Agency for French Education Abroad structure. Teaching follows the French programme, with English and Malagasy learning also identified. This is a specific provider route. Its class names should not be used to infer the curriculum or certificate prepared by every school in Madagascar. French school at Ampefiloha.

When transferring between a French-curriculum setting and a Malagasy national-programme school, compare the actual subjects, language demands, assessed work and next examination. Keep the original report-card labels rather than translating them into assumed equivalents. A pupil can be strong in the underlying subject while needing support with a different written language or unfamiliar syllabus sequence. The receiving school’s placement decision should be made with those records available.

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23. Foundational-learning support and implementation

The Programme Intégré pour la Transformation des Apprentissages Fondamentaux (PITAF), or Integrated Programme for Transforming Foundational Learning, was launched on 27 February 2026. The ministry described a four-year programme targeting 4.7 million children, from early childhood through lower secondary, with teacher support, materials, infrastructure and attention to vulnerable learners. These are the programme’s stated reach and priorities, not verified completion totals for every activity or school. Foundational-learning programme launch, February 2026.

For a particular family, the meaningful question is what support is available at the child’s school now. Ask about usable learning materials, attendance difficulties, additional help and any locally organised assistance. If a child is missing lessons because of travel or household circumstances, keep a simple attendance and learning record so that discussion focuses on the barrier and the work to recover. A national investment announcement cannot itself establish that the local difficulty has been solved.

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24. Three practical pathway examples

A primary pupil moving districts. The family brings the report and examination record, confirms whether the pupil has completed the primary award and asks separately about the receiving collège’s entry process. They also compare the language and topics recently studied. This avoids confusing a successful examination result with a confirmed place at the preferred school.

A learner choosing a technical route. The student lists the exact occupational award, required previous class or certificate, selection stage and practical training arrangements. Before paying, the family checks the programme’s authorisation and asks how its qualification would be considered by a later course. They do not assume that two certificates with similar names create the same progression rights.

A licence graduate planning research. The graduate first compares the content and purpose of available master’s programmes, then discusses future doctoral eligibility with the intended doctoral school. They request written clarification where the master’s is professionally oriented. Planning backwards from the research goal helps identify a missing preparation step before a large commitment of time or money.

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25. Frequently asked questions

Is Madagascar already using one six-year primary structure everywhere? The law’s design and the operating school resources must be read together. Confirm the learner’s actual class sequence and cohort. Do not relabel existing records solely because a new legal structure has been enacted.

Does a school certificate automatically guarantee the next place? Check both attainment and admission. The operating school descriptions identify entrance selection at key transitions, and university programmes publish their own criteria. Keep the certificate and the placement or admission letter as separate documents.

Can I use an old BEPC or baccalauréat revision guide? First match it to the candidate’s programme, series or option and examination session. The current transition makes that check important. Older exercises may still be useful practice, but they should not decide the current subject list or registration category.

Does an online master’s have a different academic standard? Read the approved programme and the national distance-study rules. Verify authorisation, identity checks, assessments and any required attendance. Convenience of delivery does not remove the work needed to earn the qualification.

What should I request before enrolling? Ask for the exact award and provider, current entry requirements, total costs, curriculum, assessment and completion rules, and a written explanation of any promised progression. For a regulated or professional destination, check the destination’s own recognition requirements as well.

Back to reading routes · Previous chapter · Sources

Sources and current-rule checks

Sources were checked on 19 October 2026. Most are original ministry rules, public curriculum documents or institutions’ own programme descriptions. The October BEPC transition is explicitly attributed to contemporary reporting because the original notice could not be verified; the 2021 baccalauréat base text is linked through a clearly identified legal reproduction and read with the official 2026 amendment. Dated research and older intake examples are labelled where used. For an application or examination entry, consult the current notice for that exact programme and session.

Continue exploring education systems

This guide belongs to eduKate’s planned 195-country education-system series. Compare the Bhutan education-system guide for a different school and qualification structure, or browse the country guides in the Education Hub.

Country context and further reading: Read How Madagascar Works to connect schools and qualifications with government, geography, public services and everyday life. Browse How Countries Work | A–Z Guide to 195 Countries and Everyday Life for more country and education-system guides.