Gender Perspectives on Education in Chad: A Commentary on Contemporary Challenges and Prospects

This commentary critically examines persistent gender disparities in education within Chad, situated within the broader Sahelian context. It argues that despite policy commitments, entrenched socio-cultural norms and economic barriers continue to disproportionately exclude girls from accessing and completing quality education. Employing a qualitative, interpretive approach, the analysis synthesises evidence from recent UNESCO reports and national data (2021-2023) on enrolment, completion rates, and specific gendered obstacles. It contends that these challenges—exacerbated by regional instability, climate pressures, and the pandemic’s lingering effects—include prevalent early marriage, safety concerns, and the gendered burden of domestic labour. Crucially, the commentary identifies strategic prospects for mitigation, such as scaling up community-led advocacy and implementing robust gender-responsive budgeting, as indicated in Chad’s transitional policy frameworks. The central thesis is that achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 in Chad necessitates moving beyond infrastructural solutions to directly confront patriarchal structures. The analysis concludes that substantive progress requires context-specific, nationally owned strategies that empower local communities and reframe girls’ education as a cornerstone of sustainable development and resilience, rather than merely an external target.