The new academic year kicked off yesterday, September 7, 2026, for students in Madagascar's education system, from preschool to secondary level, across more than 20,000 schools. Over seven million students returned to school at the beginning of September, including those from public institutions and part of the private sector, whose official reopening took place yesterday, September 7, 2026. This marks the start of 42 weeks of study, with exam success for students in examination classes and progression to the next level for intermediate classes as key objectives. The first day of class was mainly devoted to welcoming students, initial contact, and sharing essential information about the school calendar, internal regulations, and the course of the 2026-2027 academic year. The first week focuses on assessing students' current level and review exercises. The primary cycle comprises approximately 4.8 million students across nearly 20,000 schools, including more than 15,400 public institutions—over three-quarters—and around 3,500 private schools, plus more than 600 community establishments. In the secondary cycle, where over 3 million students are enrolled, middle and high school students attend approximately 3,500 institutions, predominantly private, with more than 2,600 private colleges and high schools, while public education accounts for 755. The division into five terms remains in place for the 2026-2027 academic year. The first break will be All Saints' Day, from October 31 to November 8, 2026.