DZWatch Exclusive: A new executive decree has been issued, detailing the conditions under which certain categories of employees within the national education sector can access retirement pensions before reaching the legal retirement age.
The decree, referenced as Executive Decree No. 26-74 and dated January 14, 2026, was published in the recent Official Gazette No. 6. It specifically addresses Article 7 bis 1 of Law No. 83-12, concerning retirement, as amended and supplemented. The aim is to provide a legal mechanism for early retirement to specific cadres within the national education system.
The decree applies to several categories of educational staff, including:
- Teachers and professors
- Supervisors
- Principals of educational institutions
- Education inspectors
These roles fall within the specialized categories of the national education sector.
According to Article 2 of the decree, eligible employees can apply for early retirement under the following age conditions:
- From the age of 57 for men
- From the age of 52 for women
However, the legal text emphasizes the necessity of meeting all legal requirements for receiving a retirement pension. Crucially, the employee must be actively employed when submitting the retirement application.
The decree stipulates that employees wishing to retire early must submit a dated and signed written request to their employing institution within the first three months of the academic year. Furthermore, Article 5 explicitly states that the employer cannot reject the retirement request. The application must be retained within the employee’s administrative file.
Pension benefits will be calculated according to existing retirement laws. Notably, the decree emphasizes that the granted pension is non-adjustable should the retiree later return to paid employment.
