Turkish civil society organizations and public institutions are carrying out various initiatives to help Rohingya children and young people living in camps in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar region access educational opportunities.
In addition to meeting their basic needs, children in the camps struggle to access regular and quality education. Nine years after the mass migration of Rohingya people who fled persecution and oppression in Myanmar and sought refuge in Bangladesh, a generation born and raised in the camps remains deprived of formal education opportunities.
Young people seek greater access to higher education
Jamil Hussein, 19, who lives in the camp, said he had been there for nine years and that living conditions were becoming more difficult each day. Hussein said they received training in computer literacy, artificial intelligence, robotics and martial arts at the Multipurpose Education and Cultural Center operated by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) in the camp.
Hussein said these activities helped them improve themselves and build their futures, adding that education was one of the camp’s most important problems. He said Rohingya young people needed greater opportunities to pursue higher education and build lives of their own.
Hussein said he wanted to return to his homeland if the Myanmar government recognized his civil rights, expressing hope for a safe and lasting solution, a dignified return home and the opportunity to rebuild their lives.
Sohra Ali, 16, who lives in the camp, said they had been placed in a refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar when she was seven. Ali said she played football with her friends in her free time and went to the library at TİKA’s Multipurpose Education and Cultural Center to read books, adding that higher education was very important to her.
More than 2,500 students attend 10 schools
The Türkiye Diyanet Foundation enables more than 2,500 students to receive education at 10 schools in the camp, including four for girls and six for boys. The schools, which provide education from kindergarten through Grade 12, operate as one of the most comprehensive and systematic educational structures in the camp.
The foundation is also taking steps to enable Rohingya students to pursue university education. At the Multipurpose Education and Cultural Center, refugees receive vocational training in sewing and embroidery, bamboo work, wood carving, electromechanics and traditional handicrafts.
Participants who successfully complete the vocational programs, which last between four and six months, are provided with various tools and equipment so they can continue practicing the skills they have learned. The training enables refugees to acquire skills that can help them earn a living through their professions, while some participants have also found work in the camps.
TİKA and the Turkish Red Crescent continue education programs
The TİKA Multipurpose Education and Cultural Center, opened in 2023 in the refugee camp in Bangladesh, includes a library, a conference hall and a music classroom. Alongside vocational training initiatives, the center organizes activities that support the social and cultural development of the Rohingya people.
The center’s library also contains books in Burmese, Myanmar’s official language. In cooperation with institutions in Türkiye and Bangladesh, TİKA organizes training for camp teachers on topics such as play-based learning, artificial intelligence and robotics.
The Turkish Red Crescent also provides training for women at Camp No. 5 in Cox’s Bazar to help them acquire vocational skills and begin earning an income. This year, 160 women completed programs in traditional handicraft production, block printing and boutique printing, while 80 women continue their training.
The Turkish Red Crescent plans for approximately 480 people to benefit from these programs throughout the year.
Bangladesh thanks Türkiye for its efforts
Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir said he appreciated the support provided by Türkiye and Turkish civil society organizations to the Rohingya, particularly in education and health.
Kabir said access to education and health services was necessary for Rohingya people living in the camps to sustain their lives, adding that ensuring children can access these services was among the top priorities.
Highlighting the importance of cooperation with the Turkish government in creating dignified living conditions for Rohingya people who have sought refuge in Bangladesh, Kabir said Türkiye was among the countries providing the greatest support to the camps. Thanking the Turkish government for its efforts and financial assistance, Kabir said a solution should be found through diplomatic efforts at the regional and global levels to guarantee the Rohingya people’s right to return safely to their country.
