The Chadian government has officially prohibited civil servants—particularly teachers—from engaging in private sector employment, as part of a sweeping education reform agenda under the 5th Republic. The move, announced by Dr. Aboubakar Assidick Choroma, Minister of National Education and Civic Promotion, is aimed at enhancing accountability and efficiency in the public education system.
The new policy, unveiled during a high-level meeting with regional education directors, mandates that public school teachers must not hold additional jobs in private institutions, which authorities say compromises the quality of public education and contributes to staff absenteeism. “This dual employment undermines fairness, drains public resources, and weakens the national education framework,” Dr. Choroma said, emphasizing the administration’s commitment to performance-based governance. The ban forms part of broader reforms led by Prime Minister Succès Masra and overseen by President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, focused on modernizing public services and curbing inefficiencies.
Under the new directive:
- Private schools that continue to employ public servants risk license revocation.
- Unauthorized staff relocations, especially the return of personnel to the capital N’Djamena without approval, will be penalized.
- Unannounced inspections will be carried out by the Ministry’s General Inspectorate to ensure compliance.
- Penalties for violations include salary suspension, administrative sanctions, and possible dismissal from public service.
The government believes this reform will stabilize staffing in rural and underserved areas, which have suffered from chronic teacher shortages due to unauthorized absences and reassignments.
Dr. Choroma called on education officials to uphold “integrity, presence, and patriotism” in their duties, describing the policy as essential to building a resilient, high-performing national school system.
The ban has sparked mixed reactions among teachers’ unions and civil society groups, with some supporting the focus on public education quality, while others warn it could exacerbate wage dissatisfaction if not matched with improved compensation and working conditions.
