Beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year, Algeria’s educational landscape is set to undergo a historic turning point with the establishment of English as the sole foreign language taught in the third year of primary school, permanently replacing French. This major decision, officially announced on this Saturday by the Minister of National Education, Mohamed Seghir Saadaoui, lies at the heart of a vast and profound restructuring of school curricula.
This comprehensive overhaul plan also encompasses the scheduled abolition of the core curriculum in the first year of secondary education starting in 2027-2028, a noticeable intensification of English language instruction, and a structural redesign of several core disciplines.
Presiding over the sessions of the National Conference dedicated to the evaluation and preparation of the upcoming school year, Minister Mohamed Seghir Saadaoui emphasized that these provisions are fully integrated into a structural and qualitative revision of academic programs. The underlying objective is to maximize instructional efficiency and closely align educational content with the renewed strategic directions of the modern Algerian school system.
Among the major transformations announced, the removal of the common core stream in the first year of secondary school, effective from the 2027-2028 school year, will mark a paradigm shift. Students will now be guided directly and at an earlier stage into specialized streams of their choice upon entering high school, promoting greater personalization of their learning pathways.
The minister further highlighted the scheduled reorganization of several subjects to better meet the pedagogical demands and intrinsic characteristics of each stream. This overhaul will notably feature a significant increase in hourly allocations for practical lab sessions, particularly within senior high school classes. The specific disciplines impacted by these adjustments and the practical application decrees will be detailed in a ministerial circular released in the coming days.
The new directives also formalize the optimization of modern language instruction, granting English a prominent position throughout the secondary cycle. Its instructional hours will see a marked increase, particularly in foreign language sections and technical streams, aiming to align the national education system with rigorous international standards.
Regarding the 2025 national teacher recruitment competition, Mohamed Seghir Saadaoui stated that the process has reached its final phase. Ministry departments are actively continuing, in close synergy with the Directorate General of Public Service, the thorough examination of files submitted by one million sixty-five thousand registered applicants.
The head of the sector offered reassurances, guaranteeing that the outcome of this selection process will be officially proclaimed as soon as possible, once the final administrative formalities are cleared.
Addressing the progress of preparations for the upcoming academic milestone, the minister stressed the department’s firm commitment to implementing the planned reforms in harmony with the guiding vision set forth by the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune. He also commended the substantial budget allocations granted to the National Education sector, viewing them as an essential lever for realizing institutional modernization projects.
Finally, he reiterated that the continuous improvement of socio-professional conditions for all education personnel will remain a permanent compass for the ministry, serving as an indispensable guarantee to boost the overall performance of the school system and ensure excellence in knowledge transmission.
Hosted at the Faculty of Information and Communication Sciences at the University of Algiers 3, the two-day National Conference brings together senior central administration officials alongside all provincial education directors. Nine thematic workshops have been established to analyze key issues related to schooling, pedagogical organization, infrastructure facilities, financial balances, digital transition, school safety, social dialogue, social welfare services, and school sports activities, ensuring the smooth completion of preparations for the 2026-2027 academic year.