Mauritania’s Education Reform Abolishing Private Schools Sparks Controversy

Nouakchott, Mauritania – An ambitious education reform is stirring public debate in Mauritania, as the government moves to phase out private schools and transition to a public school system. The initiative is expected to dismantle systemic discrimination and standardize education quality nationwide.

Moulay Ould Rais, a 67-year-old retired engineer and strong supporter of the new policy, said while waiting for his child at a public school in the capital: “Everyone will benefit from this. It will bring us back to a generation like the first one, where people were united and lived peacefully together.”

However, many worry the move is too hasty. Meyey Ould Abdel-Wedoud, a teacher at a private school in suburban Nouakchott, stated: “The changes are too fast and too sudden. We will face limited income and rising prices.” Under new rules, his school must stop admitting new students after 2027, risking mass layoffs.

The Mauritanian government signed the education reform into law in 2022, extending free education from primary to lower secondary levels and making schooling compulsory for all children aged 6. Notably, children can now learn in three local languages—Pulaar, Soninke, and Wolof—alongside Arabic, a move to end stigma against the Afro-Mauritanian community, which makes up 30% of the population.

Education officials argue that while private schools have helped raise enrollment rates, they have created inequality by following the French curriculum, marginalizing the poor. According to UNESCO data, 95% of Mauritanian children cannot read at a basic level by age 10, and 58% of the population is too poor to access quality education. Meanwhile, private schools charge fees ranging from $100 to $1,000 per term.

Mohamed El Saleck Ould Taleb, a representative of the Ministry of National Education, affirmed that the reform aims to ensure “every student wears the same uniform, sits at the same desk, and studies the same program, from north to south.” He added that private school teachers would have opportunities to apply for posts in the public system as the government expands rural enrollment.

Critics, however, say issues of racial and class discrimination in Mauritania are being exaggerated. Abdel-Wedoud argued: “Mauritanian children have been learning together in private schools, from all backgrounds, languages, and social classes.” He also warned that shutting down private schools would place immense pressure on already strained state resources.

According to World Bank data from 2010, private schools accounted for 11% of primary and 26% of secondary students nationwide. Many private schools have already closed some classes due to the new policy, incurring losses of thousands of dollars each month.

Amid the controversy, parents like Rais remain optimistic: “We have problems with discrimination, racism. But with the new law, there will be unity.”