Arakan News Agency | Exclusive
Amid daily hardships that affect all aspects of life for Rohingya refugees in Bangladeshi camps, a good education doesn’t come on a silver platter. However, several brilliant Rohingya students have been able to leverage the opportunities available to them in the camps to achieve remarkable success.
Several Rohingya students in the Cox’s Bazar camps in Bangladesh told Arakan News Agency ANA that the refuge journey that began with their families fleeing Arakan State in western Myanmar to Bangladesh due to the genocide and atrocities committed against them by the Myanmar military in 2017 should not affect them or prevent them from taking advantage of what they have to build a better future.
The stories which ANA was told highlighted the resilience and determination of Rohingya students despite the hardships of displacement and limited educational resources, many of these students have excelled academically, using the opportunities available to them to build a better future.
Remarkable performance
Mohammed Yasin, who achieved first place in his educational journey in the camps from third to eighth grade, said that the genocide was what drove his family to leave Buthidaung City in Arakan and come to the camps, where he never imagined he would be able to receive an education.
“I never imagined I’d be able to study in a refugee camp but thank God I succeeded. My father is my biggest supporter, and I see him as a hero. Although our family is struggling, he does his best to support my education. Without him, I wouldn’t have been able to study in the camp”, the child told the ANA.
Yasin sacrificed playing and entertainment for academic excellence. He recounts, “I put in a lot of effort, and while my friends were playing, I spent my time studying. I set a daily schedule and adhered to it carefully. Thanks to this discipline, I succeeded, thank God.”
Yasin, who is currently in ninth grade, dreams of becoming a doctor one day. He affirms, “I have confidence in myself because I am a diligent student, and I study with all my heart. God willing, I will achieve my dream one day.”
Refugee’s challenges
As for the hard-working student, Saley Ahmed, his struggles are not very different. His family was forced to leave Maungdaw and flee to camps in Bangladesh. However, this did not prevent him from excelling throughout his education and achieving first place in the secondary school examination.
The student confirmed to ANA that the life of a student is full of challenges. He said, “We do not have a country, a suitable education system, or the means to continue studying. However, I do my best to achieve my goals in life. All my achievements are thanks to the support of my older brother, who has always stood by me and supported me every step of the way.”
Ahmed dreams of becoming a good person to serve the Rohingya community, but refugee life can hinder him. He added, “Sometimes I feel hesitant because we lack identity and citizenship, and without official documents such as a national ID, it is difficult to continue my higher education. Nevertheless, I continue to dream and work hard. I don’t just want to become a doctor, but I want to become a good person in life. That is my ultimate goal.”
The Rohingya student urged all Rohingya students to work harder to achieve their dreams and not to give up or waste their time on useless activities, saying, “If you focus on your studies instead, you can become good people who know how to respect family, teachers, elders, and the community. If our community supports and encourages these students, I believe they will understand and change for the better.”
My name is Saley Ahmed. I was born in Maungdaw Township, Myanmar. I came to Bangladesh with my family as a refugee after the Myanmar military carried out a genocide against our people.
A new beginning
Another Rohingya student, Forqan, spent most of his educational years in Buthidaung where he reached eighth grade and performed brilliantly before his family was forced to flee to Bangladesh, and before he, too, had to quit learning due to family problems. But now he insists to pursuit education in camps.
“My educational journey wasn’t easy; I faced many challenges especially within family. When I was in ninth grade, I had to get married as I am the eldest son and I had to provide for my family in every possible way. I had to drop out for two years”, he told ANA.
Referring to difficulties he faced, he recounts “In Myanmar we studied in the same place, the same school, but here in the camps there are no such opportunities. Despite that, I didn’t let go of my education as I believe it is the only thing we brought from home and that knowledge stays forever even if life at camps is temporary”.
Forqan stated that he received great support from his family and teachers and that is why he aspires to be a social worker so that he can help and support his community members, especially those who have been left out.
He advised all students to work hard for their future so that the refuge tragedy doesn’t happen again. “I would like to send a message to the youth in our camps who waste their time gambling or sitting in cafes. Remember that we became refugees because 99% of our people were uneducated. Let us not repeat the same mistake. We must study more, because education is the most valuable thing we have now, and no one can take it away from us”, he told ANA.
Furqan encouraged other Rohingya youth not to let anything prevent them from obtaining education, even marriage, and not to listen to those who discourage them saying that it will be difficult to continue their education after marriage. “If you are married and want to study, don’t be ashamed. Shyness is the first mistake. Start and seize your opportunity”, he added.
More than a million Rohingya refugees currently live in the Cox’s Bazar area of Bangladesh, fleeing violence and persecution in Myanmar. This has been exacerbated by renewed violence and persecution against them since the Arakan Army launched a military campaign to seize control of Rakhine State in November 2023. The United Nations describes Cox’s Bazar as the largest refugee camp in the world.
