Languages in Yemen

Yemen’s Constitution recognizes Arabic as the official language. Public schools and universities use Arabic, although everyday speech varies between Sanaani Arabic, Taizi-Adeni Arabic, Hadrami Arabic and other local varieties. Soqotri, Mehri, Hobyot and other languages are used in particular communities, but everyday dialect use does not automatically determine the language of instruction. The formal education system provides nine years of basic education, normally beginning at age six. Grades 1 to 9 lead to the Basic Education Certificate. Grades 10 to 12 continue through general education or technical and vocational education. Arabic literacy, phonics, reading and writing form the foundation of schooling. English is included as a second language from primary level according to documented Ministry of Education and UNESCO information, but access and teaching quality vary by area and institution. The Ministry of Education, local education offices and education authorities in each area share responsibility for provision. Administrative fragmentation means that national rules and actual access are not uniform. International organizations and aid programmes, including UNICEF, the World Bank, the Global Partnership for Education, the European Union and non-governmental organizations, support language-related education without creating one nationwide course system. Learners outside regular schooling may use catch-up classes, Basic Literacy and Numeracy programmes, self-learning, Accelerated Learning Programmes, community learning spaces and Temporary Learning Spaces. These approaches were documented between 2021 and 2024 in Taiz, Hodeidah, Marib, Ibb and Hajjah. The Accelerated Learning Programme in Marib used flexible schedules and a condensed curriculum that included language learning; in January 2025 it served 3,625 learners in 30 centres. Documented UNICEF- and European Union-supported non-formal classes were free, although books, uniforms, transport and lost work or household time can still create costs. Access is especially affected by distance, insecurity, poverty, shortages of teachers and materials, gender expectations and work or household duties. Children, young people outside school, internally displaced people, girls, rural communities and learners with disabilities receive particular attention in education interventions. A public UNICEF profile from 2025 reported 3.7 million children aged 5 to 17 out of school, while another 2025 figure described interventions reaching 3.2 million children; these figures use different measures. Government data cited for 2024 and 2025 reported that 94.7% of ten-year-olds could not read and understand a simple text. Female teachers and teacher incentives can improve access for girls, but participation and learning remain dependent on the area and programme. National examinations take place at Grade 9 and Grade 12. In 2023, more than 93,000 candidates sat examinations in over 895 centres across 14 governorates. Grade 12 success can support access to higher education in the Aden-related system. These examinations certify parts of the formal education pathway; they are not a nationwide foreign-language certification system. No reliable evidence shows a nationwide equivalent to a Goethe certificate or a Common European Framework of Reference level certificate for English or another foreign language. Arabic literacy has direct value for reading health instructions, handling administration, managing everyday matters and continuing education. English can support secondary education, study, employment and digital access, but learning opportunities commonly depend on school attendance, private providers or specific projects. Yemen’s Youth Action Plan for 2025–2030 records English instruction as a requested additional qualification among young women. Digital and distance learning can use television, radio, printed materials, online services, social media, mobile applications and electronic lessons. The Sabaa Education Channel has historically offered Arabic and English instruction. Household access remains unequal: 60% of households had television access and 16% radio access in the 2024 MICS-EAGLE data, with access to either medium reported at 64%; the figures were higher in urban areas and lower in rural and poorest households. Digital learning therefore provides a useful alternative during disruptions but does not offer a uniform national solution. Soqotri has a strong oral tradition and faces pressure from limited written records, education use and the lack of a unified alphabet. A workshop in Hadibo from 24 to 28 September 2024 brought together more than 35 participants and 10 specialists to work on Soqotri alphabet development and possible educational or non-formal use. The Soqotri Language Center and local communities contribute to this work. Mehri remains mainly community- and culture-based. No established nationwide curriculum for teaching these languages as mother tongues has been documented, and no general legal right to instruction in a local mother tongue has been evidenced.