A generation at risk of being left behind

Ayesha sits on a blue mat in a small bamboo-and-plastic shelter, patiently instructing her two younger siblings, Amina and Rashed. At just 19 years old, she is their only caregiver. 

Eleven-year-old Amina goes to a local learning centre for two hours each day. Seven-year-old Rashed hasn’t found space in a nearby classroom.

The siblings lost both parents in Myanmar, and then were forced to flee brutal violence in 2017. Unfortunately, their situation isn’t unique: they are one of many child-headed households in the Rohingya settlements.

Since the more than 740,000 Rohingya refugees began arriving in August 2017, UNHCR and its partners have focused on guaranteeing they have access to education. It’s a massive task: 55% of Rohingya refugees are younger than 18 years of age, while 41% are under 11 years old. So far, we have enrolled more than 62,000 children. We’ve helped construct, staff and manage 426 classrooms, 58 adolescent clubs, and 1,204 community based Early Childhood Development Centres.

However, due to funding shortages, approximately 36% of Rohingya children between the ages of 3 and 14 remain without access to primary education, while more than 91% of Rohingya refugees between 15 and 24 years old are not attending any educational facility.

UNHCR is committed to ensuring that there will be no lost generation of Rohingya learners – but the massive scope of the emergency and restrictive policies have limited consistent, meaningful access to education.

“My little brother and sister are all I have, and the ones I am living for.”

Ayesha missed out on education herself, but is committed to giving her brother and sister the best opportunities she can. She hopes that her sister will be able to continue her studies at the learning centre, and that her brother will be able to start attending class in the near future.

See also: Rohingya refugees fret for their children’s futures

Close to a million Rohingya refugees continue to live in the crowded settlements of Cox’s Bazar. More than half are children like Rezeuna. Resources are limited and thousands of children are still unable to attend school – facing an uncertain future. UNHCR is working hard to ensure these children can access education, providing hope and a lifetime of opportunity. Will you help UNHCR build urgently needed schools for refugee children?  Donate today

Thirteen-year-old Rohingya refugee Rezuana, 13 stands outside her family's shelter at Balukhali camp in Bangladesh.