Sudan: 76% of Sudanese Refugee Children in Chad Out of School - UNHCR

The ongoing conflict in Sudan has triggered an unprecedented educational collapse among refugee populations in neighboring Chad, with UNHCR data revealing that 76 percent of Sudanese refugee children have abandoned schooling since displacement began. This figure represents far more than a humanitarian concern—it signals a critical juncture for regional stability and presents both risks and opportunities for European investors and development-focused enterprises operating across the Sahel. The scale of disruption is substantial. With approximately 41 percent of surveyed Sudanese refugee households containing school-age children, the numbers translate to hundreds of thousands of young people potentially entering a lost generation without formal education. Chad, already hosting over 600,000 Sudanese refugees amid a fragile domestic economy, now faces compounding pressure on its education infrastructure and social cohesion. For European investors and businesses, understanding this context is essential because educational collapse in refugee-hosting countries typically precedes broader instability, including youth radicalization, human trafficking, and irregular migration patterns toward Europe. The immediate cause reflects the harsh realities of displacement. Refugee families, often stripped of documentation and resources, struggle to access already-limited educational facilities in Chad's refugee camps and host communities. School fees, transportation costs, and the opportunity cost of child labor create formidable barriers.