UNICEF ends contracts of 1,179 teachers for Rohingya children

The United Nation’s Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has terminated contracts with 1,179 local teachers engaged in educating Rohingya children in Cox’s Bazar, citing a global “crisis” in humanitarian funding.

In a statement on Tuesday, the organisation said: “The global shortfall in humanitarian aid funding has forced us to make some difficult decisions.

“As part of this, contracts with 1,179 members of the host community who were engaged as teachers in kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2 for Rohingya children are being discontinued through UNICEF partners.”

Among those affected are teachers of English, science, social science and art, the agency said.

“After Eid and the subsequent holidays [until 29 June], the return of remaining staff from both the Rohingya and host communities will depend entirely on the availability of new funding,” it added.

“To continue our ongoing programmes, deliver urgent support to the most vulnerable children, and uphold our commitment to children’s well-being during this extremely challenging time, we have had to take these decisions,” the statement read.

“We remain hopeful that with additional funds, we will be able to restart these essential services and even expand them.”

Angela Kearney, head of UNICEF’s Cox’s Bazar, said on Monday: “Learning centres will remain closed at least until the end of June. Whether they reopen depends on fresh funding.

“If education activities resume, local-level Grade 1 and Grade 2 teachers -- who are Bangladeshi nationals --will no longer be retained.”

News of the closure has triggered days of protests by local teachers in Ukhiya, who have blocked roads and disrupted the movement of vehicles operated by aid agencies.

They argue that local workers are being laid off while employment for the Rohingya continues, further disadvantaging an already vulnerable host community.

Saffat Fardin Chowdhury, one of the protest leaders, said: “Ukhiya is not a free-for-all zone where decisions can be made at will. If there’s any unjust removal of host community teachers, we won’t back down.

“There’s always funding for everything--why not for the host community? This game must stop.”

Responding to allegations of discrimination, Kearney said: “There’s no bias here. This is purely a decision driven by funding shortages.

“We have more than 3,000 Bangladeshi volunteer teachers working with us. The only ones being affected are those in Grade 1 and Grade 2,” she added.