Educational inequality and emancipation: A Rohingya case study

Abstract

In 2017, Rohingya people experienced forced migration from their native land of Myanmar to the neighbouring country of Bangladesh. They fled in massive numbers and took shelter in Cox’s Bazar where they now live in a diaspora community. The qualitative study presented in this article aimed to illustrate and analyse the contemporary educational situation of the Rohingya community in Bangladesh, in light of Paulo Freire’s and Henry A. Giroux’s philosophies. Data were collected using document analysis, focus group discussions with 20 Rohingya community members, and in-depth interviews with three development workers, two Rohingya school teachers and a host country representative. Results were analysed and grouped into themes. The education of Rohingya appears to be in preparation for repatriation to their home country; however, the process and timeline remain uncertain. Meanwhile, their movement in Bangladesh is restricted, and they cannot go outside the refugee camps for any education or training purposes. They remain in a “culture of silence”, including a lack of acknowledgement of their opinions and voices. Political hegemony, absence of democracy, structural inequality and the language barrier deprive these Rohingya of access to state education and job opportunities. Cooperation between the Bangladeshi government and international non-governmental organisations could help to empower Rohingya people to develop more awareness about the structural oppression and encourage their emancipation through education.