How a Sudanese refugee became a head teacher in a Chadian camp

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports from Adre in eastern Chad that Sahra, a Sudanese refugee and former education administrator from el-Geneina in West Darfur, has become head teacher at a primary school inside a refugee camp. After fleeing Sudan’s war in 2023, she joined a growing community of displaced people in Chad, which now hosts nearly one million Sudanese refugees and is under pressure to expand education services for children affected by the conflict.

The school was opened in 2024 by Plan International and partner organisations and now serves 1,059 pupils with 30 teachers, many of them recruited from the refugee community. Lessons are held in two shifts and cover core subjects in both Arabic and French. The article says the arrangement helps children who have lost access to schooling, while also giving displaced adults a chance to continue working in education. It also notes the practical difficulties of teaching across different curricula and languages, alongside limited infrastructure and resources.

Beyond classes, the camp school is presented as part of a broader child-protection effort. Plan International provides safe spaces and psychosocial support, and parents say education helps shield children from violence, early marriage and exploitation. Some families, however, say many children still remain out of school, especially unaccompanied minors and older students with no access to higher grades or vocational training.

The report places the story in the wider context of Chad’s long-standing education shortages and the underfunded Sudan refugee response. It also highlights calls for more basic facilities, including desks, sanitation, lighting, health services and school meals.