In the post-COVID world, schools have reopened, but for the majority of young Mauritanians opportunities remain closed. This is particularly true for young Black Mauritanians who live in the rural southern part of the country. Since 2011, Youth and Hope works to eliminate barriers to education for young students in the south of Mauritania. The challenges are numerous. While some challenges are the result from a general lack of resources devoted to education and infrastructure across all rural areas of Mauritania, other barriers pertain specifically to the south of Mauritania. Below are some challenges confronted in the south of Mauritania, as observed by a local mathematics/science teacher based in Lexseiba::
Arabisation of educational instruction
Non-Arab students are required to learn Arabic at school. Arabic is used as a primary language of instruction for the predominately non-Arab students in the south. The local languages of the south, which are Soninke, Wolof, Pulaar, and Bambara, are devalued. The choice of Arabic as the language of instruction has broader ramifications on the Arab priorities in the curriculum and national agenda.
Lack of schools and transportation
Schools can be 20 kilometers away from a student’s residence.
Students often must walk to school, which could take hours.
Inadequate facilities
Classrooms are in disrepair; sometimes, a school consists of temporary structures built out of wood, tent material, and metal (called a “hangar” in French) given the lack of resources.
Lack of water, electricity, and network connection. This makes it particularly difficult for science/technology classes.
Absentee teachers: this is caused by the costly and long commutes to get to work, low teacher wages, and the pursuit of opportunities in other countries.
Difficulty keeping girls in school
Some families keep girls at home to do housework
Extra costs:
While school is supposed to be free, additional costs such as the school uniform (250 ouguiya or $10), lunch, and books and other supplies make school fees a financial burden on families.
Civil state neglects students, particularly black students and those who are from repatriated families.
In order to enroll in secondary school, the local government requires civil registration through evaluation of legal documents.
At a minimum, the parents of the child must present their marriage certificate, a copy of the parents’ or caregivers’ national identity card or death certificate, and the student’s birth certificate. However, many families were never issued these documents, have lost them, or could not afford the fee to obtain them. There are obstacles set in place to make it difficult to replace these documents: costly procedures, confusing and incompetent bureaucracy, and racist attitudes of the civil registration centers.
Because of these intentional barriers by the Arab dominated government, the student often can not advance to secondary school nor take their national exams.
While every country must confront its own challenges in education, Mauritania has challenges based on ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic barriers. The educational disparities of the south result from deliberate discriminatory policies towards the black ethnic groups of the south.
The 4 villages Youth and Hope support face these conditions on a daily basis. To combat these challenges, Youth and Hope is actively raising funds to provide children with books, supplies, and taxi fare. While seemingly small items, these items form the backbone of a child’s school experience. Going forward, Youth and Hope intends to not only cover the most basic necessities, but to expand secondary education access, improve classroom conditions, and promote youth leadership and development.
For more information on the civil registration process: https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/03/29/mauritania-administrative-obstacles-keep-kids-school
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