Refugee schools in Chad without books, students drop out

Schools in Sudanese refugee camps in eastern Chard have witnessed a drop-out of students and a complete lack of textbooks since the implementation of a Chadian curriculum this month. Adam Fadul, who is a teacher in Kounongou camp, told Radio Dabanga about the replacement of the Sudanese curriculum for the basic and secondary school stages in the camps. He stressed that the new, domestic textbooks have not yet arrived in the camps, although the school year in Chad began on 1 October. “This leads to the delay and disruption of the refugee pupils’ and students’ school year. They are not able to complete the course according to the school calendar of Chad,” he said. Fadul added that the schools are witnessing a drop-out, and that pupils are reluctant to study, because of the new Chadian curriculum. He called for the quick provision of textbooks. The UNHCR, in collaboration with the Chadian Ministry of Education, replaced the Sudanese curriculum by the Chadian one in the refugee camp schools in eastern Chad per 1 October. Both Sudan and Chad agreed to the replacement. A teacher in Touloum refugee camp told Radio Dabanga last month that there is not much difference between the two curricula, and that only two subjects would be added. File photo: Sudanese girls, attending school in a refugee camp in eastern Chad, carry their textbooks (photographer unknown, source: pinterest.com) Related: Refugee schools in eastern Chad to follow domestic curriculum (17 September 2014) Large number of school drop-outs in eastern Chad camp (15 June 2014)