Chad’s educational system is currently navigating a quiet yet profound crisis. Across numerous institutions, a noticeable decline in student discipline directly jeopardizes the development of the nation’s future leaders. This pressing national concern demands a collective effort, with accountability shared among schools, families, and the broader community.

Behaviors once considered isolated incidents are now increasingly prevalent: insolence towards teaching staff, frequent altercations, excessive mobile phone use during class, damage to school property, and acts of aggression. These growing concerns are deeply troubling for educators, school administrators, and parents alike.

This alarming reality is no longer a hidden issue. In many high schools and colleges, both in N’Djamena and across the country’s interior, classes are regularly disrupted. Teachers describe an increasingly challenging environment where maintaining student attention, order, and respect often feels like an impossible task. Confronted by students who are increasingly resistant to authority, many education professionals feel helpless, even with established internal regulations and disciplinary measures in place.

Fundamentally, the family remains the primary environment for a child’s socialization. It is within the home that children should first learn respect for authority, the value of effort, discipline, and boundaries. Michel Ngardiguina, a French teacher in a N’Djamena high school, expressed his concerns: “Teaching has become incredibly difficult. Some students no longer accept feedback or the authority of teachers. Sometimes, a simple reminder of the rules can provoke insults or aggressive behavior. Without parental support at home, the school alone cannot correct all these deviations.”

Amina Moussa, a parent encountered in Walia Barrière, N’Djamena, shared her perspective: “Many parents are consumed by economic hardships and no longer adequately supervise their children. Phones and social media exert enormous influence on students today. We must reclaim our educational role and collaborate more effectively with teachers to safeguard our children’s future.”

However, many parents, grappling with economic difficulties, heavy family responsibilities, or simply a lack of time, completely delegate this crucial educational mission to schools. Consequently, some students grow up without clear guidance. They become vulnerable, lacking proper supervision, to external influences such as social media and negative peer groups, without being sufficiently educated on the vital importance of their own learning journey.

The school, on its own, cannot bear this entire responsibility. While its role is undoubtedly essential for imparting knowledge and instilling values of civility, discipline, and coexistence, it often receives children who arrive in class with already weakened educational foundations.

When foundational principles are not firmly established within the family, schools find themselves on the front lines, dealing with behaviors that are challenging to rectify. An educational system weakened by chronic indiscipline will inevitably produce citizens ill-prepared for the demands of the modern world.

This situation now calls for a collective awakening. Neither schools nor parents can succeed in isolation. Close and consistent collaboration is imperative through several concrete actions:

• Strengthening student academic monitoring through regular meetings between parents and teachers;
• Establishing ongoing dialogue with adolescents to better understand their challenges;
• Revitalizing parent-teacher associations;
• Increasing awareness campaigns on the critical importance of discipline and adherence to school rules.

The future of Chad is being shaped daily within its classrooms. For a nation aspiring to development, restoring school authority and reinforcing parental responsibility represent an urgent national priority. The time for mere observation has passed; concerted action is now essential.