Back-to-School in CAR: Inflation, Shortages, & Blackboards

Back-to-School in the CAR: Inflation, Shortages, and Blackboards
By Cathy MERCIER | LAMINE MEDIA

(Bangui, September 16, 2026 | LNC) The starting gun has officially fired, yet on the ground, everyone is trying to find the right formula. Administrative staff returned to schools across the Central African Republic this Monday, September 14, 2026, at the behest of the Minister of State for National Education, Aurélien Simplice Zingas. While teaching teams finalize enrollments and dust off blackboards, the true trial by fire—the students' return—is set for Monday, September 21, 2026. Yet, on the streets of Bangui, the excitement of reuniting is largely overshadowed by parents' financial calculations. This year, the return to school feels like a logistical and economic obstacle course. The first mandatory stop for families is the capital's markets, ranging from the Central Market to Km5. Here, inflation is not a macroeconomic concept; it is a harsh reality. The prices of notebook bundles, schoolbags, and regulation uniforms have skyrocketed. For large households, equipping every child requires a budgetary miracle, forcing many parents to delay purchases or negotiate buying supplies item by item. Fuel costs also enter the school budget equation. Compounding this price surge is the week's surprise guest: a severe fuel shortage paralyzing Bangui. With service stations under siege, motorcycle taxi fares have instantly doubled—or even tripled—in some outlying neighborhoods. For parents relying on this mode of transport to get their children to school on the morning of September 21, the bill promises to be steep. School hasn't even started, yet transportation costs already weigh heavily, acting like an invisible tax. While the capital grapples with logistical issues and often overcrowded classrooms, the hinterland faces challenges of a completely different magnitude. Across the provinces, many schools suffer from a critical shortage of qualified teachers. The start of the school year there relies on the dedication of "parent-teachers"—courageous volunteers paid directly through villagers' contributions. Amidst aging infrastructure and a precarious situation, the provinces are preparing for the new term through resilience and community solidarity. Everything is set for next Monday. Driven by the determination of the authorities, the dedication of the teaching staff, and the ingenuity of parents, the youth of the Central African Republic are preparing, once again, to demonstrate their remarkable adaptability.

LNC
Date: September 16, 2026
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