• Chad joins a regional effort to revive education for 850,000 marginalized youth.

• The project blends digital and face-to-face learning to tackle high dropout and learning poverty.

• Success depends on regional cooperation, local resource mobilization, and overcoming security challenges.

School dropouts and instability threaten the Sahel’s future, making education system reforms critical to regional resilience. Sahelian states are collaborating on the “Sahel Relance” project to face these shared challenges.

Chad’s Minister of National Education and Civic Promotion, Aboubakar Assidick Choroma, will represent his country at the project’s launch in Nouakchott on July 22, 2025, alongside an official delegation, local press reports.

Backed by funding from the World Bank’s IDA, Germany’s KfW, and the SAWAC Fund, this initiative will roll out an open school model that blends digital and in-person learning to reach 850,000 young people—including dropouts, nomads, and refugees.

A cornerstone of the initiative is EduSahel, a regional institute dedicated to training education professionals, fostering innovation, and advising on policy. With over half of Chad’s children dropping out and widespread learning poverty, the initiative aims to expand access to flexible learning tailored to difficult social and geographic conditions.

The program’s multi-sectoral approach integrates digital technology, improved infrastructure, vocational training, and gender equality measures. It focuses on inclusion and empowering young people.

This partnership shows a united political effort to tackle an education emergency hindering growth and increasing vulnerability. UNESCO notes that education investments in the Sahel could reduce economic inequality over time.

Success for the project will rely on united governance by the states involved, mobilising local resources, and the steady flow of international financing. Similar regional initiatives, such as WAEMU’s 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, show that enhanced regional cooperation can raise school enrolment rates, particularly in underserved rural areas.

However, challenges related to logistics, technology, and security remain significant barriers. The programme’s sustainability depends on regular evaluations, flexible adjustments, and strengthening local skills and institutions.

This article was initially published in French by Félicien Houindo Lokossou (intern)

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum