CEP, FSLC and Common Entrance: the end of primary school in Cameroon
At the end of primary school, a Cameroonian pupil sits two tests of a different nature. The first is an examination certifying what they have learnt: the Certificat d'études primaires (CEP) in the French-speaking subsystem, the First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC) in the English-speaking subsystem. The second is a competitive entrance test for public secondary schools: the concours d'entrée en sixième (or into the first year of technical education) on one side, the Government Common Entrance Examination on the other. Both are set every year in a calendar issued by the Ministry of Basic Education (MINEDUB).
Information checked on
At a glance
- Class
- CM2 (French-speaking); Class 6 (English-speaking, formerly Class 7)
- Ministry
- MINEDUB (Basic Education), Department of Examinations, Competitions and Certification
- Examinations
- CEP and FSLC (certificates); entrance exam into sixième / first year technical and Common Entrance (selection)
- Timing
- Entrance exams: mid-May; CEP and FSLC: June (2025 and 2026 sessions)
- Entrance exam candidates, 2025
- More than 250,000 (French-speaking, general and technical)
- Next step
- Sixième (lower secondary) or Form One; BEPC or GCE O Level five years later
Two tests, two purposes
The CEP and the FSLC are examinations: they mark the end of primary education and award a certificate. The sixième entrance exam and the Common Entrance are competitive tests: they allocate pupils to public secondary schools, where places are limited. A child can therefore pass the CEP without being admitted to the public school of their choice.
According to Wikipedia, English-speaking pupils sit the Common Entrance in Class 6 (formerly Class 7) and obtain the First School Leaving Certificate at the same stage. In the French-speaking subsystem the entrance exam has two options: sixième in general education and the first year of technical education.
The 2025 and 2026 timetables
| Test | 2025 session | 2026 session |
|---|---|---|
| Sixième entrance / Common Entrance (written) | Mid-May (12 May in the decision, 13 May according to Journal du Cameroun) | Wednesday 13 May |
| FSLC: practicals | 26 May | Not found |
| CEP and FSLC: physical education | 27 to 29 May | Not found |
| CEP and FSLC: written papers | 9 and 10 June (oral on 10 June) | 16 and 17 June |
| CEP and FSLC results | By early July | Released from 6 July, region by region |
What the papers cover
In the 2025 session, the written sixième entrance exam ran from 8 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and consisted of five papers: dictation, reading comprehension, general knowledge, arithmetic and problem-solving, according to Journal du Cameroun. The CEP and the FSLC combine written papers, an oral test and a physical education test; the FSLC also includes practicals, according to the official 2025 timetable.
No official marking scheme for the CEP or the FSLC (marks per subject, pass mark) could be found online on the sites consulted. For the Common Entrance, the 2025 timetable provides for an eligibility list followed by interviews, then final results in early June.
How many candidates?
On 13 May 2025, more than 250,000 CM2 pupils sat the entrance exam into sixième and the first year of technical education: about 150,000 for general education and 100,000 for technical, according to Journal du Cameroun. There had been about 230,000 in 2024. For 2026, CRTV reported a strong turnout on 13 May without giving a national total.
The balance between the two options matters: according to the 2024-2025 statistical yearbook of the Ministry of Secondary Education (MINESEC), 45% of pupils move from primary to general secondary and 18% to technical secondary. Recent national pass rates for the CEP and the FSLC could not be found online.
Where to check the results
In 2026, the results of the CEP and the sixième entrance exam were released from 6 July, together with the BEPC, region by region: on CRTV regional stations, in examination centres and in the pupils' own schools, according to 237online and Journal du Cameroun. 237online noted that the staggered release causes a scramble every year.
Frequently asked questions
When is the sixième entrance exam in Cameroon?
In mid-May. In 2026, the sixième entrance exam and the Common Entrance were held on Wednesday 13 May, according to CRTV.
What is the difference between the CEP and the entrance exam?
The CEP is an examination certifying the end of primary school; the entrance exam selects the pupils admitted to public secondary schools, depending on available places.
How many pupils sit the sixième entrance exam?
More than 250,000 French-speaking pupils in 2025 (150,000 for general, 100,000 for technical education), up from about 230,000 in 2024, according to Journal du Cameroun.
What papers are in the sixième entrance exam?
In 2025: dictation, reading comprehension, general knowledge, arithmetic and problem-solving, from 8 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.
When were the 2026 CEP results released?
They were released from 6 July 2026, region by region, on regional CRTV radio, in examination centres and in schools.
Handle with care
The date of the 2025 written entrance exam differs by one day between the decision reproduced by Kamerpower (12 May) and Journal du Cameroun (13 May). The 2026 CEP and FSLC dates come from a practical-information website, as the 2026 MINEDUB decision was not available online at the time of checking. No national candidate numbers or pass rates were found for the 2025 or 2026 CEP, FSLC or Common Entrance.