In a report published yesterday (3 September), UN Refugee Agency UNHCR says that COVID-19 is having a catastrophic effect on refugee education.

The agency says the potential of millions of young refugees living in some of the world's most vulnerable communities will be further threatened unless immediate drastic action is taken.

The report is based on data on gross enrolment figures from the 2019 school cycle.

Disadvantaged

While children in every country have struggled with the impact of COVID-19 on their education, the report finds that refugee children have been particularly disadvantaged.

Before the pandemic, a refugee child was twice as likely to be out of school as a non-refugee child.

This is set to worsen, with school closures, difficulties affording fees, uniforms or books, lack of access to technology or the necessity to do paid work.

"Half of the world's refugee children were already out of school," said Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

Futures

"After everything they have endured, we cannot rob them of their futures by denying them an education today. Despite the enormous challenges posed by the pandemic, with greater international support to refugees and their host communities, we can expand innovative ways to protect the critical gains made in refugee education over the past years."

The 2019 data in the report is based on reporting from 12 countries hosting more than half of the world's refugee children.

While there is 77% gross enrolment in primary school, only 31% of youth are enrolled in secondary school.

At the level of higher education, only 3% of refugee youth are enrolled. 

Refugee girls already have less access to education than boys, and are half as likely to be enrolled in school by the time they reach secondary level.

It is estimated that half of all refugee girls at secondary school will not return when classrooms reopen this month.