Border News Agency
Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar – June 5, 2025
More than 1,000 Rohingya teachers working in refugee camps in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar have been laid off due to a severe funding shortfall, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
UNICEF confirmed that contracts for 1,179 teachers, who had been serving in pre-primary and primary education programs across the camps, have been suspended. The organization cited “global financial constraints” as the primary reason behind the decision.
“This was an incredibly difficult step to take,” UNICEF said in a statement, adding that the funding challenges have impacted education services for Rohingya refugee children.
Before the recent suspension, the total number of teachers in the camps was estimated at around 4,000, according to Md Shamsud Douza, a senior official from the Government of Bangladesh who oversees refugee assistance.
Currently, schools in the camps are closed due to Eid holidays. However, uncertainty looms over whether sufficient funding will be secured before classes resume later in June. If new funds are not secured in time, additional teachers could face termination, further threatening access to education for thousands of Rohingya children.
The layoffs have sparked concerns among humanitarian groups and camp residents, who fear the long-term impact on the already fragile education system in the world’s largest refugee settlement.
In Ukhiya, affected teachers have staged peaceful protests, calling on international donors and humanitarian organizations to restore funding and reinstate their positions.
The education sector in the camps has long been under pressure due to overcrowded classrooms, limited resources, and restrictions on formal education for Rohingya refugees. The latest cuts are expected to further undermine efforts to provide quality learning opportunities for children displaced by conflict in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.
