Koranic and secular education in the Sahel

The Sahel faces significant education challenges, exacerbated by rapid population growth and a young demographic, with nearly half of the population under 15. In response, Sahelian governments signed the Nouakchott Declaration in 2021, committing to a coordinated approach to improve education, focusing on government involvement, teacher mobilisation, and community engagement. However, political instability in countries like Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso between 2021 and 2023 has complicated these efforts, creating overlapping crises that affect education policy and provision. Despite these challenges, development agencies, including FCDO, continue to work on strategies to improve educational access and quality in the region.

FCDO Sahel has requested Helpdesk support with technical and contextual quality assurance of a series of three strategy papers addressing issues affecting education in the Sahel region (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Niger), to inform and support strategic education interventions. The papers cover the topics: 1) Integration of Koranic and secular schools; 2) Mother tongue instruction; and 3) Nomadic pastoral education. This report is part 1 of this series, examining Koranic education in Sahel.