Stories

Sudanese Certificate Students in Chad: Hope Against All Odds

*Daniel Bahita
Last week, I stood in a muddy schoolyard in the village of Adria, eastern Chad, watching a group of Sudanese refugee students enter their exam hall. Their steps were steady, their faces focused. For many, this was the culmination of months of uncertainty, displacement, and determination. For all of us who work in education, it was a moment of quiet triumph. We crossed three international borders carrying 1,100 kilograms of exam papers to reach them.

Between August 25 and September 2, 2025, nearly 5,000 Sudanese refugee students successfully completed their Grade 12 national exams at seven education centers in eastern Chad. This represents a powerful coordinated effort to enable girls and boys displaced by conflict to complete their secondary education in Chad. It is, quite simply, an unprecedented achievement.

Sudanese refugees in Chad have been waiting to sit for these national exams for the past two and a half years. Before the outbreak of conflict in Sudan in April 2023, more than 513,000 students had registered to sit for the national exams. Despite the disruption, the first round of the Grade 12 General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCE) exams—held between December 28, 2024, and January 9, 2025—successfully reached more than 340,000 students. An additional 208,200 students sat for the second round of exams, held from June 29 to July 10, 2025. The exams in Chad expanded access to students who had been displaced across the border and were unable to participate in the first round.

This initiative, led by the governments of Chad and Sudan, with support from UNICEF, UNHCR, and partners, provided a safe and structured environment for students to sit for their final exams. It reflects a steadfast commitment to education and demonstrates that learning can and must be protected, even in the most difficult circumstances.

Since the conflict began in Sudan, Chad has received more than 876,000 refugees, more than half of whom are children. These young people have faced devastating losses, yet they continue to demonstrate extraordinary resilience.

Displacement, the destruction or closure of schools, and a shortage of teachers have forced countless school-age Sudanese children—both inside and outside the country—out of the classroom. Conflict steals their futures in other ways, too: when parents are killed, when families are torn apart, when children are forced to work to survive, and when girls are forced into early marriage. These are not just statistics; they are stories of interrupted childhoods and deferred dreams.

In this context, education becomes a lifeline. It provides structure amidst chaos, hope amidst despair, and a path to healing and opportunity. It is one of the few things that can restore a sense of normalcy and dignity to children whose lives have been turned upside down. Sitting for an exam may seem routine in times of peace. In times of war, however, it can become an act of determination and a positive step forward in life.

As I watched the students settle into their seats, I felt a mixture of awe and humility. These children had crossed borders, endured trauma, and yet emerged with their justified pens and hopeful hearts. I found myself holding back tears, not out of sadness, but out of deep respect.

I met Muzdalifa Yaqoub, a seventeen-year-old from West Darfur. Muzdalifa dreams of becoming a judge. “I’ve been waiting to sit for this exam since 2023,” she told me. “I feel happy and optimistic about the future.”

I spoke with Mr. Musa Mohammed, a teacher and parent of a twelfth-grade student who works with refugee students in Adria. He expressed his sadness and pain over the current situation in Sudan and his hope for the future. “I hope we can take this exam next year in Sudan, in our schools and classrooms,” he said.

These exams are more than just an academic achievement; they are a ray of hope. They signal to every child affected by conflict that their future still matters. These students are part of a larger generation of Sudanese children who, despite the odds, are determined to build a better future. Their courage sends a powerful message: that learning must not be a casualty of conflict.

This achievement would not have been possible without the generous contributions of donors and the tireless efforts of our partners on the ground. A huge thank you to every teacher, volunteer, partner, and education official who contributed to this milestone.

As we look to the future, we reaffirm our commitment to expanding access to education for every displaced child. Every successful exam, every lesson learned, is a step toward recovery and rebuilding.

*Chief of Education, UNICEF Sudan