Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh — 17 September 2025,
A Rohingya-led delegation from the Rohingya Centre UK (RCUK), representing the UK, USA, Germany, and the Netherlands, visited the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar from 7–17 September 2025 to officially introduce the Rohingya Education Board (REB) pilot scheme. This initiative is designed to deliver high-quality, internationally accredited, and sustainable education while fostering skills, dignity, and self-reliance for Rohingya community.
The delegation, comprised of Rohingya with lived experience of displacement and exile, met with community members, youth, students, camp leaders, teachers, officials from the Office of the Refugee Relief & Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC), and representatives of Oxford AQA. Delegates observed classrooms, teaching practices, and community programmes, gaining direct insight into both the challenges and opportunities of establishing a Rohingya-led education system.
Education Under Threat
The visit took place against the backdrop of a deepening crisis. On 31 May 2025, UNICEF reported that over 230,000 Rohingya children face severe disruption to their learning due to funding shortfalls. Core subjects, including English, science, and social studies, risk being withdrawn, while more than 1,100 host community volunteer teachers face the suspension of their contracts.
For decades, Rohingya children have relied on NGO-led models that too often provided fragmented and informal learning & teaching them to wait for the next ration rather than to realise their full potential. RCUK has consistently warned that such approaches are unsustainable, inefficient, and prone to collapse.
Community-Led Solutions
The REB pilot scheme demonstrates the strength of community leadership. By training Rohingya educators, establishing community-run schools, and engaging faith-based learning centres. RCUK is working in partnership with organisations such as the National Education Union (NEU) is building an education system that is:
- Cost-effective: ensuring all resources remain within the community.
- Internationally recognised: making children’s learning meaningful beyond the camps.
- Sustainable: designed to endure beyond donor cycles.
- Culturally rooted: preserving Rohingya identity and dignity alongside academic progress.
This approach ensures that children acquire not only academic knowledge but also leadership, resilience, and practical skills making education a pathway to self-reliance rather than dependency.
A Mission of Solidarity
The delegation underlined that Rohingya people wish to be known not solely for their suffering, but for their resilience, vision, and potential. “We are committed to equipping the next generation of Rohingya people with the skills and knowledge to thrive in modern society,” the delegates affirmed. “Over 1.5 million Rohingya await safe and dignified return to their homes, and education is essential in preparing for that future.”
The delegation expressed profound gratitude to Bangladesh and the local host communities for their generosity in sharing responsibility for the protection of Rohingya refugees, and paid tribute to the officials, staff, and volunteers working tirelessly for the community’s welfare and development.
“It is vital that the international community recognises the central role of community-led education in building resilience, dignity, and opportunity for Rohingya children,” said Mohammed Amin, CEO of RCUK. “Education is not a temporary service; it is a fundamental right, a bridge to dignity, and a tool for resilience.”
A Call to Action
RCUK calls on governments, UN agencies, donors, and NGOs to:
- Invest directly in Rohingya-led education systems, from curriculum design and teacher training to governance and monitoring.
- Support long-term sustainability through partnerships that reinforce community leadership.
- Advocate globally for systemic reform in how Rohingya education is planned, funded, and delivered, ensuring accountability and ownership by the Rohingya people themselves.
Media & Partnerships Contact
Email: info@rcuk.org.uk | Mobile: +44 7475 237037
About RCUK
The Rohingya Centre UK (RCUK) is a Rohingya-led organisation developing sustainable, community-driven solutions to the Rohingya crisis. Based in the United Kingdom, RCUK connects grassroots knowledge with international action to enable Rohingya communities to live with dignity, rights, and opportunity.
Follow: @WeAreRCUK | Learn more: www.rcuk.org.uk