In Niger, more than 70% of refugee children from countries in the sub-region evolve outside of school, according to the High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). However, UNHCR emphasizes that “ we saw an improvement in refugee schooling last year “. Charlotte Berquin, education specialist at the West African office of this UN agency, “ hopes that this improvement will be able to continue next year despite the instability that Niger is experiencing “, where a coup d’état took place on July 26, 2023.
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Schooling refugee children is a real challenge Niger because their number increased by 9% in one year. There are 200,000 children from Mali, Nigeria or Burkina Faso who have taken refuge in this country, with or without their families. And this figure is in addition to the 200,000 Nigerien children displaced in their own country.
However, this schooling of foreign refugee children in Niger improved during the year 2022-2023, notes the High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). Thanks to international humanitarian support, three out of ten refugee children were able to receive an education, compared to two out of ten the previous year. But this progress remains fragile, underlines Charlotte Berquin, education specialist at the UNHCR West African office.
“ Enrollment rates may have increased last year »
“ Still more than 70% of refugee children are out of school today in Nigershe said to Claire Fages. However, it should be noted that indeed, thanks to the concerted actions of the government, the Ministry of Education, the UNHCR and the various partners working in the education sector, enrollment rates have been able to increase the last year, thanks to numerous actions that were carried out such as awareness campaigns, improvement of school infrastructure, provision of school kits and hygiene kits, improvement also of school canteen programs, scholarships for higher education, both in Niger but also through university corridors to study outside Niger “.
Charlotte Berquin concludes: “ So, in summary, we saw an improvement in the schooling of refugees last year and we hope that this improvement will be able to continue next year despite the instability that Niger is experiencing today. »
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