Chad and Mauritania have signed funding agreements worth more than 82 billion FCFA (US$137 million) to strengthen their education systems under the Regional Engagement for Learning and Collaboration in Education (RELANCE) Project.
The agreements were finalized on July 22 during the launch of the Sahel Relance regional program in Nouakchott, Mauritania. Chad was represented by Aboubakar Assidick Choroma, Minister of National Education and Civic Promotion, and Fatimé Haram Acyl, Minister Delegate to the Minister of Finance, responsible for the Economy, Planning and International Cooperation.
The RELANCE Project aims to transform education in both countries by improving sectoral governance and expanding access to flexible, inclusive learning opportunities.
More than 850,000 young people are expected to benefit—half of them girls—with special provisions for learners with disabilities and those outside formal schooling.
A core component of the initiative is the creation of a Regional Open School in Chad, designed to reach young people excluded from traditional education, particularly in remote areas.
The school will offer a hybrid model combining digital courses, in-person support, and vocational training, accessible to learners in both countries.
Minister Aboubakar Assidick Choroma emphasized that the Regional Open School directly addresses the country’s educational challenges. “This school will allow thousands of young people, often far removed from traditional structures, to access adapted learning paths, bringing skills and hope,” he said.
Complementing this effort, a Regional Institute of Educational Sciences will be established in Mauritania. Led by the Association of African Universities, the institute will serve as a hub for executive training, applied research, and the development of evidence-based education policies.
By pooling resources, digital content, and assessment standards, it is expected to become a regional academic reference point for both nations.
The $137 million project is jointly supported by the World Bank and the Federal Republic of Germany, marking a significant step toward reshaping the future of education in Chad and Mauritania.
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