Ivory Coast has begun construction on a series of new high schools and a college of excellence designed exclusively for girls, part of an ambitious plan to strengthen access to quality education and boost female empowerment.
On Monday, October 6, 2025, the Minister of National Education and Literacy, Mariatou Koné, officially laid the foundation stone for a 1,000-place high school of excellence in Abengourou.
The event marked the start of construction for four high schools and one middle school with boarding facilities under the Project for the Construction and Equipment of High Schools and a College of Excellence (PCELFI-BOAD).
The schools will be built in Divo, Man, Korhogo, and Abengourou, along with a middle school in Bouna.
The official launch ceremony was attended by senior officials including the Minister of Tourism and Leisure, regional prefect Kouadio Kouassi Eugène, regional council president Wouadja Essay, and Mayor Ahervé Adom.
The project, valued at 44.432 billion CFA francs, is financed with 30 billion CFA francs from the West African Development Bank (BOAD) and 14.432 billion CFA francs from the Ivorian state. According to project coordinator Dosso Gossé, construction — which is already underway — is expected to be completed in 20 months.
Each high school will include a modern teaching complex featuring an administrative building, library with multimedia facilities, 25 classrooms, language laboratories, art and computer rooms.
Boarding facilities will accommodate 800 students per high school and 640 students in the middle school. Additional amenities include a cafeteria, a 200-seat multipurpose hall, seven staff villas, and an infirmary.
The campuses will also feature comprehensive sports facilities such as football, handball, volleyball, and basketball courts, a gymnasium, and a semi-Olympic swimming pool. For student safety, the premises will be fully fenced and equipped with a video surveillance system.
Minister Koné praised the initiative as part of a broader government strategy to expand access to quality education. With only five girls’ high schools in 2011, Côte d’Ivoire now boasts 15.
“This ambitious program is the realization of the vision of the President of the Republic, Alassane Ouattara, who has placed quality education for young people, and particularly girls, as a national priority,” she said.
The minister expressed gratitude to BOAD and other partners for their continued support and urged the project team to maintain high construction standards and ensure the schools are ready on schedule.
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