Develop new learning strategy for Rohingya children: Educo

Global child rights organisation Educo recommends development of a new in-home learning strategy for the Rohingya children to help them overcome the education challenges faced by the coronavirus pandemic. 

"We need to adapt our assistance to children during this critical period by providing effective in-home learning strategies and exploring opportunities for children to learn through radio and the internet to enrich their learning," said Matiur Rahman, Educo Cox's Bazar Emergency Response Head of Mission, in a statement as the Rohingya influx stepped into its fourth year on August 25. 

He said they fear that the reduction of informal education services and limited child protection services in the camps put children at greater risk of forced early marriage, child labour, and physical and sexual violence during the pandemic. 

A survey conducted by a local NGO – SKUS – with support from Educo found Rohingya children are facing an extremely uncertain future as schools and learning facilities remain closed indefinitely amid the global pandemic. 

Majority of the 860,000 Rohingyas in the camps in Cox's Bazar are children. They have so far the education facilities of for up to class V. 

It said most children have been coping with school closures by learning on their own without adequate learning materials or very little guidance from educators as to how they can continue learning at home.

Rahman said despite the ordeal that the Rohingyas went through three years ago, Rohingya children and their families have endured the hardships to start anew in the refugee camps. 

Even before the pandemic, adolescents and youth have had limited access to relevant education, vocational and life skills learning in the camps, and the coronavirus pandemic is threatening education efforts made by agencies.

Kasmin Ara, 12, a Rohingya teen living in a camp in Cox's Bazar, told Educo in an interview how her life drastically changed since the pandemic. "Before the coronavirus pandemic, I used to go to a learning centre to study tailoring, how to cut and sew clothes. I really enjoy sewing, and learned many types of clothes design." 

"Due to the coronavirus pandemic, all learning centres were closed. I miss my friends in the tailoring centre. If the outbreak didn't happen, I would have completed my lessons and become a tailor by now," she said. 

A Rohingya parent said they found a little refuge, but now what they are faced with coronavirus is terrifying."It is very difficult to earn money and buy food for our children".