The construction of the Higher Institute of Professional Education (ISEP) in Matam, initiated in 2021 and slated to open for the academic year in October 2025, is still experiencing delays. The creation of the ISEP, announced in 2012 during a decentralized Council of Ministers meeting held in the region, and whose project took shape in 2016, has been fraught with obstacles before construction finally began in 2021. A long journey through time with little progress.

During a site visit, the Minister of Infrastructure, Déthié Fall, expressed his dismay at the pernicious delay in the execution of the works. He deemed the situation unacceptable.

"The company had committed for 10 months. Two years ago, it renewed this commitment. There have been suspensions, certainly, but since last July, the order to resume work had been given even though there were nine months of contractual deadline remaining," he said.

He added that "the company has received the list of validated goods and services and nearly 3.6 billion CFA francs in advance on a project with a total cost of 16 billion CFA francs."

Despite the efforts made by the State, according to the minister, "the company, which subcontracted the part of the piles with a subcontractor who proved to be unreliable", is still struggling to get out of the foundations.

Once again, with two months to go before the deadline, the authority says it is preparing a second formal notice. “The State is not waiting. Every year, we receive students completing their studies to move on to higher education. The State cannot adhere to the schedule of a company that operates at its own pace. The company will be asked one last time to continue the work. If it is determined that they cannot do so, we will take responsibility by terminating the contract and hiring another company.”

In the absence of an adequate learning environment, learners attend classes in temporary rented buildings, the cost of which, according to the institute's director, impacts the institution's operating budget.

The ISEP in Matam already has five graduating classes of certified students.

Calling for students to be properly prepared in facilities adapted to their learning, Professor Aminata Diassé Sarr, director of ISEP, expressed the wish that the institute "can be taken into consideration in the overall dynamic of building the eight functional ISEPs, before talking about building new ISEPs (... )".