Historic First: Rohingya Refugee Students Sit for Formal Exams After Eight Years

For the first time in eight years, Rohingya children living in refugee camps in Bangladesh have taken part in formal examinations — a historic milestone for a community long denied access to structured education.

After fleeing persecution and violence in Myanmar, thousands of Rohingya children have spent their entire childhoods in the sprawling camps of Cox’s Bazar. Education there has been limited to informal lessons, with no recognized exams or certification to measure their progress.

Now, that is beginning to change.

A newly established Examinations Board of Rohingya Refugees has successfully conducted mid-term exams across several camp-based learning centers. For many students, it was the first real exam of their lives — a moment filled with both excitement and pride.

Teachers and parents describe this development as a turning point.“It restores dignity and gives our children hope for a better future,” said one teacher in Kutupalong camp.

Community leaders see the exams as more than just an educational achievement — they call it a symbol of resilience and self-determination.

For the Rohingya community, this step marks not just the beginning of formal education, but the reclaiming of a future once thought lost.