Education activities for nearly 250,000 Rohingya children in the refugee camps of Ukhiya and Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar have been suspended until further notice, effective from June 3. This decision was conveyed in a letter from the education sector to the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner on Tuesday (June 3).
The letter states:
“Due to unavoidable circumstances, the education sector has agreed to the proposal to suspend all education centers in the camps. This decision will be effective immediately and will remain in place until further notice.”
Angela Kearney jointly signed the decision from UNICEF and Md. Golam Mostafa from Save the Children on behalf of the education sector.
This announcement means that nearly 250,000 children in the camps will no longer receive education, although the official letter did not specify the reason for this abrupt decision.
However, on Monday afternoon, Angela Kearney, head of UNICEF’s Cox’s Bazar field office, held a press conference where she revealed that funding shortages are threatening the education of approximately 230,000 Rohingya refugee children in Cox’s Bazar. She warned that without immediate and sustainable financial support, all assistance for the refugees, including essential education, would be at risk. She highlighted that this could severely undermine access to basic, life-saving education in the world’s largest refugee camp.
By Abdu Rashid Manik
Photo: Unicef
