Central Data Catalog

The Certificat d'Études Primaires Élémentaires (CEPE) is administered annually by the Service de l'Évaluation des Connaissances, Ministère de l'Éducation to grade 5 (ISCED 1) students in public, private and community schools. Community schools are schools created at the initiative of parents, individuals, associations or Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). Community schools benefit the same advantages as the public schools (parental contributions reduction, allocation of civil servant teachers).

The CEPE is a high-stake and mandatory examination that certifies completion of primary education. It is a requirement for students wishing to pursue lower-secondary education (ISCED 2).

Passing the CEPE allows reintegration of out-of-school children and youth into the school system at the next appropriate grade. Out-of-school children and youth can take the CEPE as independent candidates, but at registration they must provide a document issued by a teacher or a school principal certifying that they attended grade 5 at some point in the past.

The CEPE is a written examination, administered face-to-face and delivered through paper-pencil tests. All test-takers are presented with cognitive booklets or tests that vary by province. The cognitive booklets or tests which presented are aligned with the national curriculum.

The CEPE serves the following purposes:

- student certification for completion of primary education

- student selection to higher education programmes or admission into specific courses or tracks

- sub-national level monitoring of learning outcomes

- monitoring education quality levels

The CEPE accommodates students with special needs, by providing the following arrangements:

- Hearing impairment: use of special rooms; transcription of instruction in sign language

- Deaf-blindness: use of special rooms; test materials in braille

- Environmental effect: postpone the test

Census (all students at the given grades or ages)

Results are reported at the student, school, local, sub-national and national levels.

Results are published in reports, which are available in print and online. A database is also accessible online. Examination results are published in the media some locations.