Ouagadougou: More than 300,000 candidates are preparing to take the Primary School Certificate (CEP) exam starting June 3, 2025, as announced by the Ministry of Basic Education. The number of registered candidates for this session is 338,565, marking a decrease of 21,796 compared to the previous year.

According to Burkina Information Agency, Minister of Basic Education Sosth¨ne Dingara revealed that the total number of candidates registered for 2025 is 376,681, with 338,565 aiming for the CEP and 38,116 set for the certification assessment. Notably, 185,157 girls and 153,408 boys will be vying for their first diploma, while the certification assessment sees participation from 28,587 women and 9,529 men, reflecting an increase of 12,581 candidates compared to the previous year.

Minister Dingara, during a press conference held on May 28, 2025, in Ouagadougou, emphasized that extensive preparations are underway to ensure the examinations proceed smoothly. He disclosed that a budget of 8.566 billion CFA francs has been allocated, and over 50,000 personnel will be involved to maintain the conduct, quality, and reliability of the examinations.

The minister also highlighted the crucial role of the defense and security forces, whose cooperation and collaboration are instrumental in organizing the exams efficiently.