Madagascar’s transitional President, Colonel Michael Randrianirina, has reportedly issued a directive barring ministers and government officials from sending their children abroad for education.
In the directive, which has gone viral across the media platforms, the President was quoted as saying:
“No minister or government official of Madagascar shall send their children abroad for education. We are building our nation from the ground up, and this cannot be achieved with a half-hearted commitment. To take our development seriously, we must ensure equality in our educational system. No one receiving taxpayers’ money from Madagascar will be permitted to sponsor their children’s education abroad. This will not be tolerated by my government.”
The reported directive, which is yet to be published in an official government gazette, is being described as an attempt to force political elites to invest in Madagascar’s underfunded public education system.
According to the post, Randrianirina argued that if those who run the country do not trust its schools, the public cannot be expected to either.
The context of the directive links to Madagascar’s political history. Randrianirina, commander of the elite CAPSAT unit, took power on October 14, 2025, after weeks of Gen-Z led protests that led to the impeachment and exit of former President Andry Rajoelina. Rajoelina had faced public criticism over reports of dual French citizenship acquired to facilitate overseas study for his children.
Since assuming office, Randrianirina has pledged a 2-year transition to elections, with reforms focused on corruption, public services and national unity. He had previously ordered ministers to publicly present anti-corruption plans on national television.
Madagascar remains one of the world’s poorest countries, with overcrowded public schools and underfunded universities. Supporters of the reported policy say it would “weld shut the exit door for the elite” and make their future dependent on the same system they are responsible for fixing.
