30 Jan 2019   

Over 145,000 Rohingya refugee children return to school in Bangladesh

More than 145,000 refugee children are now attending UNICEF-supported learning centres.

Following a huge effort from the humanitarian community to construct a network of 1,600 learning centres throughout the camp, providing vital access to education for children who fled violence in Myanmar, attention is now turning to the children who still do not have access to education.

At the end of 2017, an estimated 700,000 Rohingyas fled persecution in Myanmar. in 2019, UNICEF want to ensure that the refugee children are provided with vital education that they are presently missing out on.

UNICEF plan to construct more learning centres in a bid to provide a generation with a better future. Teachers are attending training programmes to improve the quality of education throughout the camps.

The aim is to eventually reach 260,000 children with education this year through an extended network of 2,500 Learning Centres run by 5,000 teachers and volunteers in Rohingya.

Iffat Farhana, Education Officer at UNICEF, said:

“Many children have suffered traumatic injuries from gunshot wounds and extreme violence, restricting their mobility and access to services. We see many children with mixed learning abilities, physical disabilities, visual impairment and speech difficulties. Each of these children has a right to education. With more Learning Centres and more teachers, UNICEF hopes to reach every child to help them learn, grow and realise their potential.”

This news follows the European Union adopting their highest ever humanitarian budget, providing vital funding to global crises, including refugees from Myanmar.

Photograph: UNICEF

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