2,200 Rohingya Teachers Trained in Burmese Language

Over 2,200 teachers working in Rohingya refugee camps can now confidently teach in Burmese, thanks to a groundbreaking training program that just wrapped up in Bangladesh.

The two-year initiative, running from July 2024 to June 2026, trained 2,221 Rohingya teachers to effectively deliver the Myanmar curriculum to refugee children living in Cox's Bazar camps. The Institute of Modern Languages at Dhaka University partnered with UNESCO Bangladesh to make it happen.

The project tackled a critical challenge facing the world's largest refugee settlement. Rohingya teachers needed stronger Burmese language skills to properly educate the next generation of children growing up in displacement.

Norihide Furukawa, who leads UNESCO Bangladesh's Education Division, visited Dhaka University this week to celebrate the program's success. His team praised the university's contribution during a Monday meeting with Vice-Chancellor Professor ABM Obaidul Islam.

The training significantly boosted the refugee community's ability to provide quality education in their own language. Teachers who once struggled with curriculum materials can now confidently guide students through lessons.

The Ripple Effect

This isn't just about language skills. When teachers gain confidence and competence, entire classrooms transform. The 2,221 newly trained educators will impact thousands of Rohingya children who deserve access to quality education despite their circumstances.

The success has opened doors for broader collaboration. Vice-Chancellor Islam expressed enthusiasm about expanding partnerships with UNESCO across education, research, and skills development. UNESCO representatives signaled they're ready to grow the relationship too.

The Centre for Development and Cooperation served as the implementing partner, with UNESCO Bangladesh funding the effort. Their combined work created a model that could potentially help refugee populations elsewhere facing similar educational barriers.

Education remains one of the most powerful tools for building hope in refugee communities, and this program just strengthened that foundation for thousands of families in Cox's Bazar.