The Saint-Louis region officially launched the 2025-2026 school year this Wednesday, October 8, 2025, during a ceremony held at Ameth Fall High School. Chaired by the Deputy Governor for Development, Sidy Guissé Diongue, the ceremony brought together numerous administrative, educational, military, and local authorities, marking the symbolic start of classes across the region.

A ceremony rich in symbols

The ceremony began with the raising of the flag, a moment imbued with civic duty and patriotism. A life lesson presented by a student, followed by a further explanation by a teacher, then illustrated the spirit of discipline and civic engagement that the authorities wish to reinforce in schools. The authorities' visit to a few classes allowed us to confirm that classes have effectively resumed.

Among the personalities present were the commander of military zone no. 2, the commander of the Northern legion of the gendarmerie, the academy inspector of Saint-Louis, the IEF of Saint-Louis-commune as well as the teaching staff, administrative staff and students.

In his speech, Sidy Guissé Diongue welcomed the smooth start of the school year, praising "the commitment of teachers, students, and parents" for a return marked by serenity and discipline. He thanked all government departments and local authorities who worked to ensure schools were in good conditions for welcoming them.

The actions carried out included cleaning gutters, draining rainwater, disinfecting and weeding schoolyards. These operations were carried out in partnership with the fire brigade, ONAS, the hygiene service and SONAGED.

The governor also recalled the holding of a pre-back-to-school regional development committee (CRD), which made it possible to assess the state of preparedness of establishments and anticipate potential difficulties.

Provisions against Rift Valley fever

In response to concerns about Rift Valley fever, Sidy Guissé Diongue reassured parents. He stated that awareness-raising meetings have been organized with education stakeholders to strengthen prevention and response.

These campaigns will continue "in schools," he assured, in order to protect students and teachers against this disease which affects certain areas of the North region.

The governor's representative also highlighted the support of the Ministry of National Education, which has provided the region with 5,938 desks and 1,567 whiteboards to improve learning conditions. New teachers are also expected to join the team to strengthen the workforce.

Finally, the Deputy Governor expressed his satisfaction with the very satisfactory attendance rate of teachers and students, while inviting parents to "encourage their children to return to school" to ensure a stable and successful school year.

"Overall, we can say that the start of the school year went smoothly in the Saint-Louis region. All arrangements were made for an effective and smooth start to teaching," he concluded.