UNHCR Niger

L’année scolaire s’est achevée sur une note de satisfaction au niveau de trois centres d’enseignement à distance pour les élevés refugiés anglophones du Nigéria vivant dans la région de Diffa. À travers son partenaire de mise en œuvre COOPI, le HCR réalisa la création en 2014 des centres d’enseignement à distance dans la région de Diffa.

Ainsi les villes de Mainé , Diffa et Kabléwa totalisent aujourd’hui 212 étudiants qui ont fini l’année académique 2015 avec succès. 95 étudiants au centre de Mainé dont 28 filles ; 75 étudiants au centre de Diffa dont 24 filles et 42 étudiants au centre de Kabléwa dont 7 filles.

Des évaluations ont été effectuées au cours de deux semestres de l’année au centre de Mainé et de Diffa, mais à Kabléwa l’année n’a connu qu’une seule évaluation. Des fortes proportions de moyennes au cours des évaluations ont fait l’objet de l’appréciation des bons niveaux des élèves et de la qualité de l’encadrement reçu par les étudiants. Globalement les 3 centres enregistrent un taux de moyennes de 68%. Malheureusement, encore on note le manque de tuteurs pour certaines disciplines le long de l’année scolaire telles que : Agriculture ; Français et hausa dans la généralité des centres et, à Kabléwa spécifiquement où la Chimie a cessé d’être enseignée suite au départ du tuteur de cours durant l’année. Des compétences ont manqué pour prendre en charge ces disciplines.

Les classes d’examen ont raté les sessions d'examen de Juin au Nigéria. Néanmoins, 80 candidats ont pu passer la deuxième session de Juillet en tant qu’auditeurs libres, dont les résultats ne sont pas encore disponibles. A cet effet, le partenaire de l’UNHCR de mise en œuvre du programme (COOPI) est en train de prendre toutes les dispositions pour la facilitation d’une session en décembre en faveur de ces étudiants.

The fate of more than 200 Nigerian female students abducted in Nigeria since April moves the world. Among the estimated 50,000 forcibly displaced persons from Nigeria that have entered Diffa region since last year, there are several hundred students that had to interrupt their studies in Nigeria because of the prevailing insecurity in that country. They are now here in Niger unable to continue their studies in the French language and a curriculum that is alien to them. Hence, UNHCR and the Niger government requested Ms. Felda Asaava, a reputed educationist with rich experience at designing educational programmes in refugee situations, to plan for secondary education for English-speaking students from Nigeria that will begin with the next academic year in October 2014.
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When war broke out in his native Anderamboukane village located in the Malian Azawad northern region, Mohamed Bilal who was already reading science of education at the University of Bamako had no option but to join his fleeing family to neighboring Niger where they lived at the Abala refugee camp.

”To me and most of my friends who were forced to abandon studies, all was bleak before us” he says, “but Alhamdoulilah (thanks be to God), in August 2013 the DAFI scholarship offer was announced by UNHCR Niger for studies in Senegal ”, recalls the 25 year old Bilal who is currently studying project management at “école des cadres” in Niamey. He says even though in the end most of them were not successful at the selection process for the German programme, UNHCR gave them a second chance and offered them local scholarships. Today two of them are comfortably pursuing higher studies. “The scholarship has rekindled hope and joy in my life and I will evidently serve as a good example for my fellow brothers and sisters who are in the camps or have precipitated their return to Mali”, he explains with mixed feelings. Voluntary repatriation has abruptly ended the education of thousands of Malian pupils and students at the behest of their parents.

To another Malian compatriot, the scholarship offer is a dream comes true because since his arrival in Niger, he had pressurized UNHCR and the authorities of Niger for a scholarship to continue his studies. “I received many unfulfilled promises until June 6, 2013 when finally the UNHCR Representative made it a reality after a long wait. And today, my patience has paid up; today I have a UNHCR scholarship; thanks be to God”. According to Mahamane Moussa 22, the scholarship has impacted his life very much. “If by the grace of God I return to my country one day, I will certainly contribute to the development of my country with the education I am receiving in my country of asylum.” concludes Mahamane who is studying project management in the same institution as Bilal.

Both Bilal and Mahamane are not only concerned but excited to sensitize their fellow compatriots in exile on the merits of continuing with their education and wish that UNHCR should facilitate this initiative for them during the holidays.

Even though opportunities for pursuing higher education are extremely limited, UNHCR managed to provide scholarships for few Malians and other refugees of other nationalities. So far, fifteen undergraduate refugees are currently studying in higher institutions on UNHCR scholarships in Niger. Few Chadian refugees benefit from the German DAFI programme. Prospects for graduate refugees are not all gleam as the socio-economic conditions are very difficult in Niger, one of the poorest countries on earth, which put limitations on opportunities for successful local integration. UNHCR is also engaged in advocacy to promote the implementation of the ECOWAS protocols on the freedom of movement in order to facilitate the issuance of identity cards / passports to refugees to improve on their chances of employment in the sub-region.