Preparing for the New School Year at Lycée des Rapides

By Marienne ZINGOUT | LAMINE MÉDIA Translated into English by Susan CARTER-JONES l LNC

(Bangui, September 9, 2026 | LNC) As the start of the 2026-2027 school year—scheduled for September 21—approaches, Claude Bernard Passiogo, the principal of Lycée des Rapides, is sounding the alarm. The school, named for the colonial era and its proximity to the rapids of the Ubangi River, is preparing to welcome its students. The principal emphasizes the need to properly prepare for this new academic year, highlighting the crucial role children play in the future of the Central African Republic and the duty of parents to provide support. He laments that too many parents only get involved at the end of the year, often when their child is facing disciplinary or academic difficulties: "I am making an appeal to parents. When you enroll a child in school, you shouldn't wait until the end of the year to see their results. You must ensure they are actually attending classes. Some students might lead you to believe they are going to school when they aren't. Parents need to come and get regular updates from the administration and the teachers." Mr. Passiogo advocates for close collaboration between families and the teaching staff to maximize the chances of success: "We must collaborate with the teaching staff to monitor the child's progress. This benefits not only the student but also the school. As an educator once said, a student's success also represents the success of their teacher." He asks the students for total commitment and seriousness from the very first days: "As for the students, they must keep coming to school and take their studies seriously. They are the ones who will take our place tomorrow. They will bear the responsibility of meeting the country's challenges." "If they don’t follow their lessons properly, how can they be competent enough to face the challenges their country will have to confront? They need to attend school and study." These are common-sense reminders that, at the start of the new school year, deserve to be heard by everyone.

LNC

Date: September 9, 2026

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