Languages in Mauritania

Mauritania's language-learning system is fragmented rather than served by one nationwide provider. Arabic is the official language, and the four national languages are Arabic, Pulaar, Soninké and Wolof. Hassaniya is a local Arabic variety used widely in communication. French remains highly relevant for education, administration, science, business and international mobility, while English is a foreign language with growing relevance in higher education and international communication. Mother-tongue use varies considerably by region. The 2019–2021 EDS recorded Arabic as the mother tongue for 78.2% of the population, Peul for 16.3%, Soninké for 3.7%, Wolof for 1.3% and other languages for 0.5%. The 2013 census showed stronger regional contrasts: Arabic and Peul were nearly balanced in Gorgol, Arabic predominated in Brakna, and Arabic, Peul and Soninké had similar shares in Guidimagha. Nouakchott had a much higher Arabic share than the southern regions. The language available at a particular school or institution therefore depends partly on region, demand and teacher supply. Law No. 2022-023 assigns Arabic to instruction throughout education and training. It provides for the introduction, promotion and development of Pulaar, Soninké and Wolof as communication and instructional languages according to mother tongue and demand. Primary science learning is planned in the mother tongue. A child whose mother tongue is Arabic should learn at least one of the other three national languages, while a child whose mother tongue is not Arabic should learn Arabic as a communication and instructional language. French begins from the second year of primary education, and English begins from the first year after primary education. These legal provisions do not prove uniform operational availability in every region. The Institut National de Promotion et d'Enseignement des Langues Nationales, known as IPELAN, supports national-language development, teacher preparation and implementation work. A reported 2023 cohort included 28 experienced teachers. The 2024–2025 pilot design covered 25 classes: 18 instructional classes in Pulaar, Soninké and Wolof, with six classes for each language, and seven communication classes for Arabic speakers, divided into three Pulaar, two Soninké and two Wolof classes. In July 2026, the Ministry announced recruitment for 30 national-language teachers. Nationwide generalization and full coverage have not been evidenced, so access remains dependent on the site, available teachers and local demand. The Institut Pédagogique National and regional education structures also contribute to implementation. Traditional learning remains part of the local picture. A mahadra is a traditional Qur'anic and religious learning setting that commonly teaches Qur'anic Arabic, the Arabic alphabet and related linguistic or religious knowledge. Preschool policy builds on learning acquired through mahadra. Local terms for traditional learning in national languages include Dudal for Pulaar, Khragnibé for Soninké and Dara for Wolof. These settings may connect with formal education, but no direct modern-language proficiency certificate equivalent has been evidenced. Adult literacy is handled by the Directorate for the Fight Against Illiteracy and Adult Education, with regional Islamic-affairs structures involved in delivery. The service targets people aged 14 or older who are classified as illiterate and focuses on selected areas. Registration takes place through local literacy sections, the service is listed at zero MRU, and no fixed completion period is specified. The language of instruction is not established in the available evidence, so Arabic, Pulaar, Soninké or Wolof should not be assumed for a particular class. The resulting certificate documents literacy rather than foreign-language proficiency. French can be learned through the Institut français de Mauritanie in Nouakchott and five Alliances françaises in Atar, Kaédi, Kiffa, Nouadhibou and Nouakchott. The Institut français offers French as a foreign language, or FLE, at levels from A1 through C1, school courses and preparation for French examinations. Published Nouakchott formats include 15 hours over 10 sessions for 4,500 MRU, 30 hours over 20 sessions for 7,500 MRU and an intensive 10-hour examination preparation format over five days for 1,500 MRU. Dates and prices should be checked for the selected session. The Alliances françaises provide FLE, DELF and DALF examinations, DELF Junior and the Test de connaissance du français, or TCF. DELF and DALF cover levels A1 to C2 and their certificates are valid for life. TCF results are generally valid for two years. Published Campus France tariffs list DELF A1 or A2 at 1,000 MRU, DELF B1 or B2 at 1,500 MRU, DALF C1 or C2 at 2,000 MRU and TCF at 4,000 MRU. Examination sessions are time-dependent. These certificates can support study, mobility and applications connected with France, but they are not a nationwide legal language requirement in Mauritania. Arabic learning beyond ordinary schooling is available through centres at the University of Nouakchott, including CREL, the Centre de Renforcement de l'Enseignement des Langues, and the Centre d'enseignement de l'Arabe pour non-arabophones. Their existence was confirmed for 2024–2025, but open-course timetables, fees, certificates and access for people outside the university were not evidenced. The Institut Supérieur d'Anglais in Nouakchott is a public institution whose main instruction is in English. It offers an international-communication diploma and in-service language training for administration, private-sector staff and teachers; no open short-course fee or timetable was evidenced, and classes are limited to a maximum of 14 learners. Higher-education language support includes proposed diagnostic categories from A2 to B2 and higher, intensive remediation, and possible language study during a first semester or a full year. These measures belong to strategy proposals and do not establish a universal current entitlement. French has high practical value for mobility and several professional sectors. English is increasingly useful for higher education and international communication. National languages remain central to local communication, culture and community life, but no nationally standardized workplace certificate beyond external French examinations has been evidenced. Digital provision is developing but does not yet offer a documented nationwide language-learning service. The Centre de Formation et d'Echanges à Distance, or CFED, has a public mandate for distance training, information and communication technology capacity and remote programs with certification partnerships. Taalimi and e-learning.gov.mr support secondary subjects rather than a dedicated language curriculum. From 2024–2025, the Digital School program reported training 160 digital teachers and connecting 20 public schools by fibre in three Nouakchott wilayas. The wider digital-learning and MOOC plan has not been shown to be fully implemented, and no dedicated current Pulaar, Soninké or Wolof language-learning platform has been evidenced.