105 schools closed before the 2026/2027 school year. MINESEC signed the decision to close non-compliant private institutions on July 20, 2026. The Littoral bears the heaviest toll with 52 closures, followed by the South-West with 11 and the North-West with 5. The stated objective: to clean up the sector and ensure safe and legal learning environments.
A sweeping reform in private secondary education. A few weeks before the start of the school year, the Ministry of Secondary Education (MINESEC) decided to close 105 institutions nationwide.
The decision, signed by Minister Pr Pauline Nalova Lyonga, targets schools that do not comply with the law. Two scenarios: structures operating without authorization and others that do not meet minimum infrastructure standards.
The regional distribution is clear. The Littoral alone accounts for 52 closures. Next is the South-West with 11 schools, all located in the Fako department. The North-West records 5 closures.
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Conversely, three regions are exempt from the measure: East, North, and Far North have no affected institutions.
For MINESEC, there is no question of yielding to pressure on numbers at the expense of quality. “This measure aims to ensure that students study in duly authorized and safe learning environments,” the ministry specifies.
Beyond the sanction, the government wants to promote responsibility. Parents are directly called upon: to verify the legal status of an institution before enrolling a child for the new 2026/2027 school year.
This cleanup operation takes place in a context where the private sector occupies an increasing place in educational offerings. But with it, “boutique” schools also proliferate, without suitable classrooms, without qualified teachers, and sometimes without approval.
By closing 105 doors, MINESEC reopens others: those of credibility and safety. The message is clear. In Cameroon, opening a school is no longer improvised.
It remains to be seen whether the measure will be followed by support for the thousands of affected students to avoid massive dropout at the start of the school year.
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