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Education
Education - the key to a secure and sustainable future for refugees and their communities
"In the devastating context of global conflict and displacement, education gives hope to refugee children and youth to envision and build a secure future." -António Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Education for refugee children and young people is a critical aspect of UNHCR's international protection mandate. Education also contributes to long-term solutions for refugees, ensuring that displaced generations are equipped to rebuild their lives and communities - either in the country of asylum or upon their return home.
The UN refugee agency is currently responding to the largest numbers of refugees since World War II. Half of all refugees are children under the age of 18 and the need for education for these young people, as well as well as stateless children and young people has never been more urgent. Only half of all refugee children are enrolled in primary school, and one in four are estimated to be in secondary school. Just one percent of young refugees are enrolled in tertiary education.
UNHCR's Education Strategy (2012-2016) aims to increase access to a range of safe, quality education opportunities for refugee children and young people, from early childhood education to university. The UN refugee agency is working closely with national authorities to promote the inclusion of refugee and stateless children into national education systems and to develop responsive, quality education opportunities where this is not possible. UNHCR also works with a range of global partners to realize the right to quality education for all refugee children and youth.
UNHCR Education Briefs
Our new Education Briefs provide information and operational guidance on a range of topics.
- Education Brief 1: Education and Protection
- Education Brief 2: Out-of-School Children in Refugee Settings
- Education Brief 3: Curriculum Choices in Refugee Settings
- Education Brief 4: Mainstreaming Refugees in National Education Systems
- Education Brief 5: Refugee Teacher Management
DAFI Scholarships
The German-funded Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative provides scholarships for refugees to study in higher education institutes in many countries.