Around 5 Million Children in Niger Do Not Attend School — Education Minister

 Approximately 5 million children in Niger are not attending either public or private schools, due to a lack of educational system resources, Niger's Minister of Education Élisabeth Chérif stated in an interview with the local television channel RTN.

"Today, around 5 million children remain outside both the formal and non-formal education systems. And, of course, we are faced with a literacy rate that is still struggling to reach 40%. ... The problem lies exclusively in our ability to accommodate all those who wish to enroll: it manifests itself in overcrowded classrooms — where the number of students sometimes exceeds established standards threefold," the minister emphasized.

She noted that another factor is parental refusal to educate their children, as, in her view, the current economic situation in Niger leads adults to involve children in household work instead of sending them to school. Nevertheless, Chérif stated that schools remain open to all children.

"The state remains fully committed to ensuring that children receive a school education and — alongside other priorities — to guaranteeing the effective realization of every Nigerien child's right to education," she added.

In September 2025, the charity Save the Children reported that more than 75% of schoolchildren in Sudan (13 million children) are not receiving an education amid the ongoing conflict and mass population displacement.