The education of nearly 230,000 Rohingya refugee children in the world's largest refugee settlement is teetering on the edge of collapse, UNICEF warned in a stark statement released today. Citing a deepening and unprecedented funding shortfall, the UN agency announced it can no longer sustain key learning services in Cox’s Bazar—putting the futures of thousands of children at risk and drawing sharp criticism of the international
community’s continued apathy.
UNICEF, which supports 83 percent of all school-age children in the Rohingya camps through learning centers, has already been forced to suspend contracts for 1,179 host community volunteer teachers serving early-grade learners. These teachers, who have been instrumental in providing foundational education to displaced Rohingya children, will see their contracts terminated by June 30, 2025.
"The children we are speaking about are among the most vulnerable in the world,” said Rana Flowers, UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh. “Without urgent funding, the learning facilities may remain closed, and an entire generation of Rohingya children risks being left behind.”
A System at the Breaking Point
The gravity of the crisis is severe:
- Learning centers will remain closed through at least the end of June, coinciding with the Eid holiday. Their reopening is uncertain and hinges entirely on fresh financial commitments.
- English, science, and social studies will be scrapped for Kindergarten to Grade 2 children in the upcoming academic year.
- No new textbooks or teacher guides will be procured for 2025–2026.
- End-of-year assessments and placement exams are cancelled.
Volunteer teachers will no longer receive paid holidays and may continue teaching only without compensation.
Despite valiant efforts to reprioritize resources and appeal for support, UNICEF has received little response from international donors. The agency has already implemented internal cost-cutting measures, including downsizing staff to prioritize essential services—making this the most dramatic reduction of its kind in Bangladesh’s history.
Silence Amid Desperation
UNICEF’s call for renewed investment comes at a time when international attention on the Rohingya crisis has waned dramatically. The muted response from global powers, donor agencies, and humanitarian actors to this educational emergency reveals a troubling indifference toward a population that has been persecuted, displaced, and forgotten.
Humanitarian advocates are now warning that the consequences of global inaction could be devastating and long-lasting. Without access to education, Rohingya children are at increased risk of exploitation, trafficking, child labor, forced recruitment, and further marginalization.
“Education is not a luxury—it is a lifeline,” UNICEF’s statement reminds. For displaced children, learning not only provides structure and routine but also acts as a critical shield against the violence and instability that define their everyday lives.
An Urgent Appeal
UNICEF expressed gratitude to the donors who have continued to support its efforts in Cox’s Bazar but made an urgent plea to the global community to act now. The warning is clear: if additional funds are not committed immediately, the temporary closures and reductions could become permanent—pushing thousands of children into a deeper spiral of poverty and neglect.
As the Rohingya crisis approaches its eighth year with no durable solution in sight, the silence of the world grows louder. The international community’s failure to prioritize education for stateless refugee children is not just a financial oversight—it is a moral one.
“This is not just a funding crisis. It is a crisis of conscience,” a local education advocate told Bay of Bengal Post. “If we fail to act now, history will judge us not just for abandoning these children—but for denying them the chance to dream.”
BOB Post
