Paving pathways for refugee inclusion: Chad case study
Country context
Ranking second to last on the Human Development Index, Chad is a fragile landlocked country in Central Africa that faces significant development challenges (UNDP, 2021). Humanitarian crises and instability in the region have led to large-scale displacement of refugees, placing pressure on resource-constrained public services. As of 2022, Chad was hosting nearly 600,000 refugees and asylum seekers from countries including Sudan, the Central African Republic, Cameroon, and Nigeria (UNHCR, n.d.).
Key statistics
Policy and data overview
Chad is a signatory to the 1951 Convention and 1967 Protocol, and has ratified the 1969 OAU Convention. In 2020, Chad passed its first refugee law, Law 27 on Asylum, which translates its international commitments into national law and outlines an expansive set of rights for refugees.
Policy pathway for refugee education in Chad
Access to education in Chad is supported by a strong normative framework. Data is collected by national actors and partners, although gaps remain in the inclusion of refugees in national data systems.
Law 27 defines ‘refugee’ according to the 1951 and OAU Convention definitions, and states that CNARR may use group determination in cases of mass arrivals. Chad grants prima facie refugee status to individuals from Sudan, the Central African Republic, and Nigeria, while refugees from other countries apply on an individual basis (UNHCR, 2022c). Asylum-seekers are issued a provisional certificate, followed by a Refugee ID card following determination. Registration is conducted jointly by CNARR and UNHCR using the Profile Global Registration System (ProGres) identity management system (ibid.). Law 13 on Civil Status (2013) mandates the civil registration of children born to non-nationals, enabling refugee children to obtain birth certificates.
Access to early childhood, primary and secondary education
The Constitution of Chad (2018) grants non-nationals in regular status equal rights to nationals, including the right to education. Law 27 also grants refugees and asylum-seekers the right to access primary, secondary, vocational and higher education. The Interim Plan for Education in Chad 2018-2020 (PIET 1) and Update (PIET 2) outline measures to promote inclusive education for all, including refugees. At a government seminar held in 2014, a decision was made to integrate camp schools into the national education system, leading to the formal transfer of 108 schools to the Ministry of National Education and Civic Promotion (MENPC) in 2018. UNHCR’s 2030 Education Strategy Chad, validated by MENPC, aims for the transfer of administrative and financial responsibility to the government by 2030, although the PIET 2 notes that resource and capacity limitations pose an obstacle to achieving this objective.
Safe learning environment
The 2030 Education Strategy Chad contains objectives for ensuring a safe learning environment for refugee learners, in line with the PIET 2, which aims to promote school health through improved water, hygiene and sanitation practices. The National Education Sector Response Plan to the COVID-19 Epidemic in Chad aimed to ensure safe learning conditions during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on reaching vulnerable populations, including refugees.
Quality learning conditions
The 2030 Education Strategy outlines objectives for improving refugee learning through the provision of textbooks and language training. The PIET 1 and PIET 2 set out strategic measures for strengthening education in emergencies, including through the assignment of bilingual teachers to crisis-affected regions. Furthermore, MoUs between UNHCR and national institutions, including the National School of Bilingual Teachers of Abéché and the Ecole Normale Supérieure of Abéché, have allowed refugee teachers to gain teaching certification in Chad.
Access to transitions
The Constitution and Law 27 grant refugees the right to education under the same conditions as nationals. Therefore, refugees have access to promotion between grade levels on the same basis as their peers. Refugees use their ProGres number to register for the lower secondary exam, the Brevet d’Etude Fondamental (BEF), which is a requirement to enter upper secondary education. Since 2016, the Chadian government has created nine BEF testing centres near refugee camps and sites to facilitate access to exams (UNHCR, 2020).
Certification of learning
Refugees are eligible to graduate and receive certification according to the same criteria as their peers. Similar to the BEF, refugees may register for the Baccalaureate using their ProGres number. The Chadian government has created four Baccalaureate exam centres near refugee camps to facilitate access to the exam (UNHCR, 2020). A passing grade on the Baccalaureate examination allows students to obtain certification and qualify for entry into higher education.
Access to technical, vocational and tertiary education
Law 27 grants refugees the right to access tertiary education on the same basis as nationals. As of 2020, UNHCR had signed MoUs with twelve public universities offering access to refugees under the same conditions as nationals, as well as with private universities that have pledged to offer reduced tuition to refugees (UNHCR, 2020). These MoUs were vital in ensuring access to tertiary education for refugees prior to the adoption of Law 27. Funding opportunities, including UNHCR’s DAFI and Mixed Movements scholarships and Master’s level scholarships offered by the French Embassy, have facilitated access to higher education for refugees.
According to Law 27, refugees have the right to work on the same basis as other non-nationals. The law also grants refugees and asylum-seekers freedom of movement and the rights to property and housing. With respect to long-term residence, Law 27 states that refugees are eligible for naturalization under the same conditions as other non-nationals. According to the Nationality Code of 1962, individuals of African descent who have held status for 15 years may be granted citizenship if they have assimilated into the community, are treated as Chadian by the general population, and are of good conduct and morals.
Trajectory of inclusion of refugees in policy and data
Over the past decade, policy inclusion in Chad has followed a positive trajectory. The right to education for refugees has been firmly enshrined in law. PIET 1 and PIET 2 have aimed to address barriers to access and learning, and to strengthen sector governance and data capacity. While the inclusion of refugee data in national EMIS in 2018 reflects the recognition of a need for better data, the National EMIS Strategy and Manual of Procedures have not been revised to reflect this inclusion. Furthermore, capacity for the use of data in decision-making processes is low, and the most widely used data source by government officials and partners remains UNHCR’s SIGE.
Enabling and constraining factors
Strong political will and public support for refugees have been key in advancing inclusion.
UNHCR’s active engagement and support have played an important role in enabling inclusion.
Limited capacity for data collection restricts the inclusion of refugees in national data systems.
A lack of coordination leads to fragmentation of data and quality-related issues.
Recommendations
- Review and update national policy frameworks, including the National EMIS Strategy and Manual of Procedures, to reflect the inclusion of refugee data in annual data collection exercises.
- Take steps to harmonize data collection efforts to expand coverage of indicators on refugee education and availability of data on all aspects of refugee inclusion.
- Direct funding and capacity-building efforts towards strengthening national data capacity in Chad, with the objective of supporting the development of a nationally-owned EMIS serving national and refugee learners.
- Ensure the inclusion of refugee schools in regional learning assessments, such as the PASEC, along with the collection of data that allows for the identification of refugee learners in results.
- Support national authorities in leveraging data for decision-making to ensure that policies are aligned with and responsive to the needs of refugees.
