Foreign aid freeze forces closure of Rohingya learning centers
City Desk :
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is alarmed by the abrupt closure of learning centers in the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, which will leave nearly 500,000 children without access to education by the end of September. The closures are the direct result of a deepening and acute funding crisis following significant cuts in support from the United States government and other donors.
Until the U.S. government’s freezing of humanitarian aid brought education programs in Cox’s Bazar to a halt in May, the IRC provided education programming to over 9,000 refugee children across five camps. Under the Education Cannot Wait program, the IRC worked alongside local partners to deliver early education for children aged 3-5, as well as accelerated learning programs for teenagers aged 15-18.
With no access to learning, children face an increased risk of child labor, trafficking, and early marriage-harms that disproportionately impact girls and undermine children’s protection and well-being.
Hasina Rahman, IRC Acting Deputy Director for Asia and IRC Bangladesh Director, said:
“This is a devastating blow to a generation of Rohingya children who have already endured unimaginable hardship. Education is not a luxury-it is a lifeline. These children are being denied not only their right to learn but also a critical form of protection from exploitation and abuse.
“Over half of the refugee population in Cox’s Bazar is children. The shutdown of these learning centers threatens to roll back years of progress in ensuring safe and quality education for Rohingya refugee children. We call on donors to prioritize investment in education for all children affected by conflict and displacement, and urgently reverse funding cuts and restore education for nearly 500,000 Rohingya children and youth. The cost of inaction is too high-especially for girls, who are often the first to be pulled out of learning and the last to return.”
Children supported by the IRC’s Education Cannot Wait program shared their concerns about the closure of learning centers in the camps and urged authorities to reopen them:
Jannat Bibi, aged 14, said, “I request to open the learning center because without study, I cannot do anything for my society.” Abul Hassim, aged 10, agreed, “Without studying in learning centers or schools, I will not be able to become a doctor in the future.