Cox’s Bazar Representative: Education activities in 33 Rohingya refugee camps in Ukhia and Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar have been temporarily suspended. Education sector partners UNICEF and Save the Children announced this decision in a joint statement on Tuesday.
The decision was communicated to the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC), Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, in a letter sent by the two organizations in the afternoon.
The letter stated that due to unavoidable circumstances, it has been decided to suspend camp-based education activities in Cox’s Bazar. This decision will be effective immediately. The letter was signed by Angela Carney, Head of UNICEF’s Cox’s Bazar Field Office, and Md. Golam Mostafa, Representative of Save the Children.
Earlier on Monday, UNICEF Cox’s Bazar Office Chief Angela Carney announced at a press conference that around 4,500 education centers run by UNICEF will be closed after June due to funding shortages.
Whether they will reopen or not will depend on new funding. Although education programs are resumed, local teachers in grades 1 and 2 will no longer be on the job. As a result, 1,179 local teachers will lose their jobs.
Carney also said that this will stop teaching English, science, and social studies. Priority will be given to Burmese language, mathematics, life skills, and socio-psychological education. Teachers from the Rohingya community will be involved in these lessons.
As a result, the education programs of about 230,000 Rohingya children are under threat, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). On Monday, the organization warned in a statement that without immediate sustainable financial support, children’s basic education opportunities in the world’s largest refugee camp will also be at risk.
Meanwhile, 1,250 local teachers working in the country were angered by UNICEF’s decision. They protested by blocking the Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf road at around 7 am today. This disrupted traffic for about seven hours.
The protesters lifted the blockade after receiving assurances of urgent action from the local administration. Then in the afternoon, UNICEF and Save the Children announced the decision to temporarily suspend education activities in the Rohingya camps.
UNICEF said in a statement that the education centers located in the refugee camps will remain closed until further notice. An announcement will be made to resume education activities if the situation is favorable.
