Overview of the General Education System

Chad had its history tied to a colonial past marred by French Equatorial Africa, and political instability even after it gained independence from France in 1960. The country’s freedom prompted its education to be significantly transformed.

The country has its eyes focused on universal primary education. However, in 1980, the Ministry of National Education solely handled the responsibility in managing education. Chad's Ministry of National Education manages the public and private schools, sets quality standards, and monitors compliance. The system has been molded by ongoing reforms, particularly a recent shift toward decentralization. This change enables local authorities to address specific community needs more effectively.

Moreover, the education structure is structured into several levels. It starts with pre-primary, primary, secondary (including general and vocational tracks), and higher education. Pre-primary education is unfortunately limited, as according to the World Bank data, there were only 17,426 enrolled children in 2019.

Furthermore, primary education begins at age six and lasts for six years. Secondary education follows, structured into lower for four years and upper for two years cycles. Post-primary pathways include vocational training institutions for those not proceeding into general secondary schools. Higher education is offered in universities, technical institutions, and private colleges.

Languages of instruction are French and Arabic, which are both taught from early education stages and assessed in exams. Apart from that, the government also has its back to local languages in the primary curriculum to maintain the cultural identity.

Chad imposes free and compulsory basic education for children aged six to 14. Early childhood education is not mandatory but is increasingly implemented in policy through the 2018–2020 Interim Education Plan (PIET). This policy seeks to expand access to early learning opportunities. Primary education covers Grades 1 to 6 and culminates in the Certificat d'Études Primaires, which is required for entry into secondary education.

Unfortunately, the political unrest of the country is reflected in the accessibility of education. Statistics from 2022 revealed that seven out of ten children aged 18 years and younger do not have access to schooling because learning facilities are limited in Chad. Albeit compulsory education seeks to build literacy and numeracy foundations among its citizens, access remains a blur, especially in rural areas where infrastructure and teacher shortages are acute.

Chad’s higher education system is comprised of universities, technical institutes, and vocational schools. The primary public university, the University of N'Djamena, offers bachelor's, master’s, and doctoral degrees in diverse fields such as sciences, humanities, law, and business.

There are also other notable institutions, which include Université de Moundou, Université Adventiste Cosendai, and Université Libre de Zone de Savane (ULZS). Apart from these institutions, the government has initiated a two-year national strategy to expand the access to tertiary education and in order to align the graduates’ skills to labor market needs.

Admission requires a baccalauréat and, in some cases, entrance exams. Technical institutions focus on fields like engineering, health, and agriculture, and offer practical skills for the workforce. Private institutions have become more widespread as some provides instruction in English to broaden access to global curricula. Degrees from recognized institutions are accredited and internationally accepted. However, opportunities for postgraduate research and professional development remain scarce as there are resource constraints.

Chad’s HEIs are governed by accreditation bodies headed by Ministry of Higher Education supported by UNESCO-recognized organizations like the African Association of Universities and the Association Universitaire de la Francophonie.