Sahel EDU

The exams and diplomas of the six CEMAC countries, country by country, by name

Six countries, six exam systems: the names look alike, the diplomas and their rules differ. This glossary names the main national exams of Cameroon, Chad, the Central African Republic, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea, with their level, their English equivalent and their Arabic translation. It gives neither calculation rules nor session dates, because they change from year to year and are read in each country’s official texts.

Cameroon: two sub-systems, four examining bodies

Cameroon has a francophone sub-system and an anglophone sub-system. Its exams are run by MINEDUB, the DECC, the OBC and the GCE Board. The entrance exam to 6e, the Common Entrance, the technician’s certificate (BT), the BEP, the professional certificate and the TVEE technical exams complete this list.

CEP (Arabic: شهادة الدراسات الابتدائية): the primary school certificate, taken at the end of the last primary year in the francophone sub-system, run by MINEDUB.
FSLC (Arabic: شهادة إتمام الدراسة الابتدائية): the First School Leaving Certificate, taken at the end of Class 6 in the anglophone sub-system, run by MINEDUB.
BEPC (Arabic: شهادة نهاية المرحلة الإعدادية): the lower secondary certificate, taken at the end of 3e, run by the DECC, in an ordinary and a bilingual version.
CAP (Arabic: شهادة الكفاءة المهنية): the vocational aptitude certificate, taken at the end of the technical first cycle, run by the DECC.
Probatoire (Arabic: الامتحان التمهيدي): the exam of the first year of the upper cycle (1re), run by the OBC.
Baccalaureate (Arabic: البكالوريا): taken at the end of Terminale, general or technical, run by the OBC.
GCE Ordinary Level and Advanced Level (Arabic: المستوى العادي والمستوى المتقدم): exams at the end of Form 5 and Upper Sixth, run by the GCE Board.

Chad: French and Arabic

Chad teaches in French and Arabic, with francophone and Arabic-language baccalaureate streams. According to the press, no national exam is held at the end of primary school.

BEF (Arabic: شهادة التعليم الأساسي): the basic education certificate, taken at the end of lower secondary (3e). The press also writes it out as the certificate of fundamental studies.
BEPC (Arabic: شهادة نهاية المرحلة الإعدادية): the former name, still in everyday use for the end-of-3e diploma, although the ministry’s official text says BEF.
Baccalaureate (Arabic: البكالوريا): the end-of-secondary exam, general and technical, with francophone and Arabic-language streams.
BT, BEP and CAP (Arabic: شهادة التقني وشهادة الدراسات المهنية وشهادة الكفاءة المهنية): technician’s, vocational studies and vocational aptitude certificates of the technical and vocational stream, listed in the official exam calendar.
CEPE and the 6e entrance exam (Arabic: شهادة نهاية الدراسة الابتدائية ومباراة الدخول إلى السنة السادسة): according to the press, these papers are no longer held nationally.

Central African Republic: fundamental 1 and 2

The Central African cycles are called fundamental 1 (six years) and fundamental 2 (four years). The names vary from one source to another; the current titles of the technical diplomas could not be verified.

CEF 1 (Arabic: شهادة الدراسات الأساسية 1): the basic education certificate 1, at the end of fundamental 1; formerly the CEPE.
Entrance exam to 6e (Arabic: مباراة الدخول إلى السنة السادسة): a one-day paper at the entry to fundamental 2.
Promotion exams (Arabic: امتحانات الانتقال): end-of-year papers in primary school, from the first to the last primary year.
BC (Arabic: شهادة نهاية المرحلة الإعدادية): the college certificate, the end-of-3e exam, also called BEF 2 and, originally, BEPC.
Baccalaureate of general, technical and vocational education (Arabic: البكالوريا): the end-of-secondary exam, in two rounds.

Gabon: a system in French

Gabon has a single system, in French, with three national diplomas and technical exams. Exam dates were changed during the year: always read the calendar for the session.

CEP (Arabic: شهادة الدراسات الابتدائية): the primary school certificate, at the end of primary; some documents write it CEPE.
BEPC (Arabic: شهادة نهاية المرحلة الإعدادية): the lower secondary certificate, at the end of 3e.
Baccalaureate (Arabic: البكالوريا): the exam at the end of Terminale, general, technological and vocational; the general baccalaureate has two rounds.
CAP, BEP and BT (Arabic: شهادات الكفاءة المهنية والدراسات المهنية والتقني): exams of technical and vocational education.

Republic of the Congo: not to be confused with the DRC

The Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville) must not be confused with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa). A reform of the education system was presented in 2026, so names may change.

CEPE (Arabic: شهادة نهاية الدراسة الابتدائية): the elementary primary studies certificate, at the end of the last primary year. A draft reform mentions a CEP based on continuous assessment; to be checked with the authorities.
BEPC (Arabic: شهادة نهاية المرحلة الإعدادية): the lower secondary certificate, at the end of 3e.
Baccalaureate (Arabic: البكالوريا): the exam at the end of Terminale, general or technical.
BET, BEP and CAP (Arabic: شهادات الدراسات التقنية والدراسات المهنية والكفاءة المهنية): technical studies, vocational studies and vocational aptitude certificates of technical education.

Equatorial Guinea: a Spanish tradition

The Equatorial Guinean system follows a Spanish tradition and its diplomas carry Spanish names. There is no national equivalent of the baccalaureate with streams, as in the francophone zone.

Certificado de Estudios Primarios (primary studies certificate; Arabic: شهادة الدراسات الابتدائية): taken at the end of primary school, with a level exam, provided for by the education law.
ESBA graduate title (Arabic: شهادة خريج التعليم الثانوي الأساسي): awarded at the end of the fourth year of basic secondary school, known as ESBA.
Bachillerato (upper secondary cycle; Arabic: المرحلة الثانوية): a two-year cycle after the ESBA, with branches: Ciencia, Humanidades, Tecnología and Artes.
Prueba de Selectividad (university entrance exam; Arabic: امتحان القبول الجامعي): an exam run by the national university at the end of the bachillerato, with an ordinary and an extraordinary session.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Is there an exam common to the CEMAC?

We have found none: each country runs its own exams, with its own names and its own bodies.

BEPC, BEF, BC: is it the same exam?

They hold the same place, at the end of lower secondary, but the name varies: BEPC in Cameroon, Gabon and the Congo; BEF in Chad; BC in the Central African Republic. The content and the rules are specific to each country.

Where can I find exam dates?

In each country’s official calendar for the current session. Dates change from year to year and can be moved during the year.

What is the equivalent of the baccalaureate in Equatorial Guinea?

There is no national baccalaureate with streams: the bachillerato cycle leads to the Selectividad exam, used to enter university.

Does Sahel EDU handle these exams?

Sahel EDU is today designed, validated and usable for schools in Cameroon. For a school in Chad, the Central African Republic, Gabon, the Congo or Equatorial Guinea, your country’s levels, exams, calendars and official report cards are not built in: they are set up with our team, school by school, before opening.

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