The Center for Educational Studies and Research organized, on Saturday evening, the 25th of July 2026, in cooperation with the National Federation of Parents’ Associations of Pupils and Students and the Teyaret Municipality, its monthly seminar entitled: “Non-Formal Education: Alternative Solutions for Those Who Have Dropped Out of School.”
The seminar was held at the cultural center of the Teyaret Municipality in Nouakchott, in the presence of educational and government officials, a number of academics and researchers, as well as elected representatives and civil society actors.
The seminar is part of the Center’s monthly scientific program, organized within the framework of the United Group for Education, which seeks to promote scientific discussion on educational issues and contribute to the development of the national education system through scientific research and institutional partnerships.
In the main presentation, Dr. Mohamed Sidi Ahmed Znqgui discussed the concept of non-formal education, highlighting its role in providing alternative educational opportunities for those who have dropped out of school and enabling them to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for integration into society and the labor market.
He also highlighted the importance of the Mauritanian Mahadra as a leading national model of non-formal education, given the historical role it has played in preserving national identity and educating generations.
In his address on the occasion, the Mayor of Teyaret Municipality, Mr. Ahmed Mohamed Cheikh, praised the role played by the Center for Educational Studies and Research in addressing educational issues. He emphasized his keen interest in the Center’s activities, particularly its monthly seminars, and commended its focus on priority educational issues and its provision of a platform for dialogue and the exchange of views on ways to develop education.
For his part, the Vice President of the Center for Educational Studies and Research, Dr. Bâa Houssein, stressed that education reform is a shared national responsibility requiring the concerted efforts of all stakeholders, including state institutions, families, and civil society. He noted that, through its scientific seminars, the Center seeks to contribute to developing practical approaches capable of addressing the challenges facing the education system.
Mr. Saadna Ould Vall, a member of the Executive Bureau of the National Federation of Parents’ Associations of Pupils and Students, emphasized the importance of the partnership between the Federation and the Center. He noted that non-formal education represents an important pathway for reintegrating those who have dropped out of school and reducing school dropout rates.
He also reaffirmed the Federation’s readiness to support the Center’s efforts and to actively participate in studying the state of education in Mauritania and seeking practical solutions that take into account the specific characteristics of the Mauritanian context.
The seminar also witnessed the signing of two cooperation agreements. The first was signed between the Center for Educational Studies and Research and the Teyaret Municipality, while the second was signed between the Center and the El Hadj El Houssein Bâ Charitable Organization. The agreements aim to strengthen cooperation in implementing initiatives and programs supporting education and to expand areas of partnership among the various stakeholders in the sector.
The seminar concluded with an emphasis on the importance of continuing this scientific forum as a platform for dialogue and the exchange of expertise, while strengthening cooperation between official institutions, research organizations, and civil society organizations, in a way that contributes to supporting education reform efforts and developing the national education system.