#Bangladesh #Education Cannot Wait #UNICEF #Cox's Bazar #Rohingya

Education Cannot Wait Announces $3.5 Million Grant for Bangladesh

On November 11, 2025, Education Cannot Wait (ECW), along with its strategic donors, officially announced a substantial grant of $3.5 million aimed at addressing the escalating refugee crisis involving Rohingya individuals in Bangladesh. The funding is intended to leverage the transformative power of education, enabling access to vital learning opportunities for displaced children in one of the world’s largest refugee camps, Cox's Bazar.

A Lifeline for Refugee Children

The emergency response funding aims to restore educational accessibility for 180,000 children who have been displaced due to the ongoing crisis. To date, ECW's investments have reached over 386,000 children in Bangladesh, with a staggering 96% of them being Rohingya refugees. This significant new funding will build upon ECW’s previous investment of $50.7 million in the region, underscoring the initiative's commitment to humanitarian efforts.

In total, past investments have enabled the construction and rehabilitation of 2,300 classrooms and have provided financial assistance to 2,700 educators. Teachers and administrators working at the forefront of this humanitarian crisis have also received crucial training in areas such as disaster-risk reduction, gender awareness, mental health, and psychosocial support.

Collaborating for Inclusive Education

This grant is delivered in partnership with UNICEF and a consortium of local organizations, including the Centre for Community Development (CODEC), Jagorani Chakra Foundation (JCF), BRAC, Mukti Cox's Bazar, Friendship, and COAST Foundation. Their collaborative efforts are focused on enhancing access to inclusive educational opportunities within safe and protected environments.

Rana Flowers, UNICEF’s Deputy Representative in Bangladesh, emphasized, “Every child deserves a chance to learn, regardless of the crisis. This support from Education Cannot Wait is a lifeline. It provides children not just with books and lessons, but with a pathway to dignity, stability, and a future they deserve.”

This partnership aims to foster skills, confidence, and hope among Rohingya children, which are essential for rebuilding their communities when they can safely return home. The future of the Rohingya people—its culture, identity, and voice—depends significantly on the education of its youth today.

Challenges Ahead

The continuous decline in humanitarian assistance, including funding for education, poses an imminent threat to the fragile progress made in Bangladesh. As of June 2025, over 3,600 educational facilities, from preschool to 4th grade, remained closed. Recent analysis indicates that only half of the funds outlined in the Joint Response Plan have been mobilized so far.

About Education Cannot Wait

Education Cannot Wait (ECW) serves as a global fund dedicated to supporting education in emergencies and protracted crises under the dome of the United Nations. The initiative focuses on ensuring quality education for refugees, internally displaced persons, and other crisis-affected boys and girls, to ensure that no child is left behind. ECW works through a multilateral system to accelerate emergency responses and connect immediate aid with long-term interventions through multi-year programming. They collaborate closely with governments, public and private donors, UN agencies, civil society organizations, and other humanitarian and developmental actors to enhance effectiveness and avoid isolated responses.

The organization urgently appeals to public and private sector donors for expanded support, aiming to reach more vulnerable children and youth who are in dire need of assistance.

Stay updated by following ECW on Twitter at @EduCannotWait and @YasmineSherif1.

For more information, visit www.educationcannotwait.org.