CRDI welcomes the Government of Bangladesh’s announcement on Rohingya children’s access to education

(Toronto, Canada, January 28, 2020) – The Government of Bangladeshi announced on January 27, 2020, that they will start providing Rohingya refugee children with schooling and training opportunities. Based on the Myanmar curriculum, the education program will consist of schooling up to the age of 14, and children older than 14 will receive skills training.

The nearly half a million Rohingya refugee children living in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, have waited a long time to access education. Although Rohingya people have been living in Bangladesh for decades, until this announcement, opportunities for education were largely limited to the informal learning centres in the camps.

CRDI welcomes this important commitment made by the Bangladeshi government. CRDI has consistently called for Rohingya children’s right to education. The Convention on the Rights of the Child underlines that education should encompass the development of a child’s personality, talents, and mental and physical abilities, to their fullest potential. Education is the cornerstone of a better future, and the benefits of quality, accredited education cannot be understated. Education is a long-term solution for the betterment of all aspects of society.

CRDI is hopeful about this substantial breakthrough and we look forward to the government delivering on its commitments. CRDI also emphasizes that the international community has a central role to play in ensuring that the Bangladesh government has the resources it needs to fulfil this commitment.