In eastern Chad, something quietly remarkable happened while the war in Sudan raged on. Thousands of Sudanese teenagers, displaced by violence and living as refugees, sat down to take their final secondary school exams.
With support from UNICEF and UNHCR, and in coordination with Chadian authorities, nearly 5,000 Sudanese refugee students were able to complete their Grade 12 examinations between 2024 and 2025. Many of them had fled across the border with nothing more than notebooks tucked into bags meant for clothes.
For Chad, a country already hosting one of the largest refugee populations in Africa, the decision to prioritize education sent a clear signal. Refuge was not meant to be a pause button on the future. Exam centers were organized in refugee hosting areas, teachers were mobilized, and curricula were aligned so students could graduate with credentials that still mattered.
The achievement carries weight beyond certificates. Secondary school completion dramatically improves a refugee’s chances of employment, further education, and long term self reliance. According to UN data, education is one of the strongest predictors of reduced aid dependence over time.
There is room to do more. Classrooms remain overcrowded, resources are thin, and funding gaps threaten continuity. Expanding teacher training, adding exam centers, and ensuring girls can stay in school through graduation would multiply the impact.
Still, the headline holds. In a region defined by emergency, Chad helped Sudanese students finish something they started. And for thousands of young people, that may prove as life changing as any humanitarian delivery.
SOURCES
UNICEF press release on nearly 5,000 exams completed
Close to 5,000 Sudanese refugee students finalize their national baccalaureate exams in Chad (UNICEF) — Nearly 5,000 Sudanese refugee students completed their Grade 12 exams in seven centres in eastern Chad between August 25 and September 2, 2025, with support from UNICEF, UNHCR and partners.
UNICEF blog “Hope against all odds”
Hope against all odds – Sudanese refugee students sit for their exams in Chad (UNICEF) — A first-hand narrative describing how Sudanese students in exile were able to take their exams and what it meant for them.
UNICEF Chad Flash Update (ReliefWeb)
UNICEF Chad Flash Update No. 17: 4,823 refugee students take exams (ReliefWeb) — Short update confirming the number of students and exam centres used.
UNHCR country overview
Chad refugee situation summary (UNHCR) — General operational information on Sudanese refugees in Chad from UNHCR.
Featured photo attribution: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
