By Hashim Zakaria
Zhashim2024@gmailcom
June 28, 2025
Since the 1980s, the Darfur region has endured ongoing instability, largely fueled by
successive Sudanese government policies aimed at altering the region’s demographic makeup.
This culminated in 2003 with a brutal campaign of genocide and ethnic cleansing carried out by
the government and its allied militias. The violence displaced hundreds of thousands of people,
many of whom fled to neighboring countries, especially Chad, while others remain in internally
displaced persons (IDP) camps within Sudan, still facing daily atrocities.
This article focuses on the future of students affected by both waves of displacement: the initial
genocide in 2003 and the more recent outbreak of violence in 2023. These young students have
spent their formative years in refugee camps in Chad, often with limited access to quality
education or opportunities for advancement.
A small survey I conducted in two high schools located in the Brejing and Treguine refugee
Camps offer a glimpse into the long-term educational outlook for these students.
Overview of Treguine and Brejing Refugee Camp Education Context
Sources: former Principal Youssouf Abdurhaman (Treguine High School) and former Principal
Ibrahim Idriss (Brejing High School), recently resettled in the U.S.
Treguine and Brejing Refugee Camps are in eastern Chad. Treguine is home to approximately
40,000 residents. Its neighboring camp, Brejing, hosts around 55,000 people.
Formal high schools in Chad’s refugee camps were officially established in 2010 to serve
displaced youth. On average, about 120 students take the national high school examination each
year. Despite limited resources and harsh living conditions, these schools maintain a 60% pass
rate, reflecting both the resilience of the students and the commitment of their educators.
However, access to higher education is extremely limited. Only 2% of students receive
scholarships to pursue university studies, while around 10% manage to continue their education
through personal effort and community support.
Barriers Worsen After 2023
The situation worsened dramatically following the second wave of violence in 2023. In 2024, the
The Chadian government prevented approximately 13,000 refugee students from sitting for their high
school exams. This decision was confirmed by Malik Agar, Vice Chairman of Sudan’s
Transitional Sovereignty Council, during a televised interview on Sudan TV.
This raises urgent and painful questions: After surviving genocide, displacement, and decades of
marginalization, why are those students now being denied the basic right to education by both
Sudan and Chad? Is there a coordinated effort to suppress this generation’s potential? What have
these innocent young students done to deserve such treatment?
There was a recent sign of progress. According to Meram News, the Chadian government
eventually agreed to allow the 13,000 students to take their exams. However, due to a sudden
lack of preparation time, the exams overseen by the Sudanese consulate in Bashe, Chad, were
postponed until further notice.
What Comes Next?
Based on available data, around 88% of Darfur region refugees are not receiving a college
education. This is primarily due to financial hardship, a lack of universities in Chad, and
extremely limited scholarship opportunities. These numbers reflect the reality for students who
were displaced in 2003 and do not yet account for those affected by the 2023 crisis.
So, even if all 13,000 students are allowed to sit for and pass their high school exams, what
comes next?
Without significant international support, access to universities, financial assistance, and urgent
policy interventions, these students will remain trapped in a cycle of displacement and denied
futures. Education is not just a right; it is a pathway to rebuilding lives and communities.
Denying it is a quiet form of violence that must not be ignored.
About The Author
