My country, Chad, joined the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) in 2012. Following our education sector plan endorsement, the country received a US$ 47.2 million GPE grant for 2013-2015.
With the implementation of education development activities, Chad has improved its schooling capacity, as well as children’s learning conditions and learning outcomes.
More textbooks and classrooms
The students of Koussiri village
Photo Credit: Min. of Education/Chad
For example, before the GPE grant, there was one reading book for ten students in Grade 1. Today, each student has his/her own reading book.
This has had a positive impact on children’s education quality with improved and more equitable learning outcomes recorded by my assessment services.
It should also be noted that in terms of access, many classrooms have been built, which has significantly reduced geographic disparities between rural and suburban zones to promote an increase in enrollments.
Applying for a GPE grant to respond to the Lake Chad humanitarian crisis
Chad is the first developing partner country to have included an “emergency education” component in its interim education plan to target refugee integration.
During the GPE Board retreat in October 2015 in Washington, Chad had expressed its concern regarding the violent crimes committed by Boko Haram causing a massive influx of refugees in the Lake Chad region, as well as returning populations fleeing violence in the North-West of Nigeria.
The humanitarian crisis has been aggravated by a drop in oil prices, thereby jeopardizing the government capacity to achieve its investment objectives in education.
In early January, 2016, the Ministry of National Education and Civic Promotion formulated an emergency grant application and submitted it to GPE.
Fast disbursement to help thousands of children
Within three weeks, the GPE disbursed a US$6.95 million grant to support our country in satisfying the education needs of children in the Lake Chad region.
The newly built school in Koussiri village welcomes 192 students, most of whom are displaced children.
Photo Credit: Min. of Education/Chad
We are very pleased with the fact that our application was processed quickly. Such support made it possible to respond quickly and efficiently to the immediate education needs of thousands of refugee and displaced children who had lost all hope in this insular zone affected by violent conflicts.
Today, they are back in school and learning in a classroom, just as any other children in the world.