IRC expresses deep concern for 500,000 Rohingya children amid education cuts and donor funding crisis
IRC expresses deep concern for 500,000 Rohingya children in Cox’s Bazar refugee camps who are at risk of losing access to education following the abrupt closure of learning centers. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) warned that nearly half a million children could be deprived of education by September due to severe funding shortages and withdrawal of international humanitarian aid.
IRC identified the lack of donor support—especially from the U.S. and other key partners—as the primary reason behind the shutdown. Until May this year, under the “Education Cannot Wait” program, IRC and its local partners had been running early childhood education for children aged 3–5 and accelerated learning for adolescents aged 15–18 in five Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar.
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With the centers now shut down, these children are being pushed toward child labor, human trafficking, and child marriage—threats especially severe for girls, the IRC warned.
“This is a catastrophic blow to an entire generation of Rohingya children,” said Hasina Rahman, Acting Deputy Regional Director for Asia and IRC’s Country Director for Bangladesh. “Education is not a luxury—it’s lifesaving. Denying them education is not only robbing their right to learn but also destroying their protection and future.”
Over half of the Rohingya population in Cox’s Bazar are children. “If these learning centers remain closed, years of progress in safe and quality education will be lost,” Hasina added. “We call on international donors to urgently reinvest in refugee education, restore funding, and prioritize girls’ learning.”
Rohingya children themselves expressed fear and frustration. “Please reopen our learning center,” pleaded 14-year-old Jannat Bibi. “Without education, I can’t contribute to my community.”
“I want to become a doctor,” said 10-year-old Abul Hasim. “If I can’t go to school, how can I do that? Please educate us so we can change our future.”
For years, IRC and other organizations, in coordination with the Bangladeshi government, have been providing education and hope to Rohingya children. The closure of learning centers now threatens to deepen their vulnerability.
IRC expresses deep concern for 500,000 Rohingya children and calls on international donors to immediately provide flexible and long-term funding to restart emergency education programs in Cox’s Bazar. It also urges the global community to expand access to scholarships, resettlement, and learning beyond the camps.
The IRC stressed that long-term displacement must not equate to lifelong denial of basic human rights.
The organization continues to deliver essential services—health, protection, livelihoods, emergency aid, and education—in Cox’s Bazar, and stands ready to scale up efforts if adequate funding becomes available.
📢 Call to Action (CTA):
👉 Speak up for education! Share this story and tag global donors to restore hope for Rohingya children. Education is their right—not a privilege.
