Rohingya Camps: Govt orders closure of pvt learning centres

The government has ordered closure of all unauthorised private learning centres and madrasas in Rohingya refugee camps, stating that such centres do not maintain the standards of education and hamper the activities of the authorised ones.

Office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) also directed that Myanmar national anthem be played and Myanmar culture is promoted at the authorised learning centres supported by the UN and NGOs.

The RRRC order, issued on December 13 following a meeting with the UN, international and national NGOs, says NGOs and INGOs were providing informal education to the Rohingya children through around 3,000 learning centres in the camps in Cox's Bazar.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen in a statement said informal learning using Myanmar curriculum and language was launched in the camps to improve the refugees' productivity, uphold their tradition and cultural values that would benefit their reintegration in Myanmar upon repatriation.

About the unauthorised private entities, the ministry said, "They follow their separate curriculums… Those unauthorised activities were asked to stop."

The main learning centres remain unutilsed due to such unauthorised ones.

The RRRC said all Rohingya children should clearly understand that they are Myanmar nationals and learn about their national flag, anthem, attire and lifestyle.

"Teaching of anything related to the Bangladeshi culture must be prohibited in the learning centres," it said. Bangladeshi teachers at the Rohingya camps should communicate only in English and every learning centre should introduce the learners to rhymes, storybooks and poems in Burmese.

Asked whether the unauthorised learning centers could radicalise the students, RRRC Shah Rezwan Hayat said, "You cannot brush aside any possibilities."