by Ro Maung Shwe
In a classroom made of bamboo and tarpaulin, where the sound of wind often competes with the teacher’s voice, students sat for an examination that, for the first time in their lives, felt part of something structured and recognized. For many, this was not just another test. It was a moment that carried weight, a rare sense that their efforts might be recorded, acknowledged, and remembered.
This fragile but determined shift has taken shape through the Examination Board of Rohingya Refugees, known as EBRR, a community-led initiative that is attempting to build what has long been absent in the camps: a standardized and credible education system.
The Emergence of a Community System
The Examination Board of Rohingya Refugees was officially established on April 23, 2025, in the refugee camps of Cox’s Bazar. It began with 53 community-led schools, brought together under a shared recognition that the existing education system lacked coherence, accountability, and recognition.
For decades, Rohingya students have studied without access to formal examinations that could validate their learning. Education existed, but without a system that could measure progress in a consistent and credible way, its outcomes often remained invisible. Students passed through classrooms, but their achievements rarely translated into something that could be recognized beyond their immediate surroundings.
EBRR emerged directly from this gap. Led by school principals and educators from within the community, the Board set out to create a unified examination framework that could be applied across different schools. Within a year, the initiative expanded to include more than 80 institutions, reflecting both the urgency of the need and the level of trust it has generated among educators and families.
Alongside examinations, the Board introduced a digital platform to record student information, examination results, and academic performance. In a setting where documentation is often fragmented or entirely absent, this move represents a significant step toward building a traceable academic record for Rohingya students.
Restoring Structure to Learning
For the 2025 to 2026 academic year, EBRR conducted mid-term and final examinations for Grades 5, 9, and 12. These were carried out under defined procedures, marking a departure from earlier practices where assessments varied widely between institutions.
Results for Primary and Middle School students have already been published, offering a level of transparency that had previously been missing. The Matriculation Examination for Grade 12 students, completed on April 4, 2026, is currently under evaluation, with results expected in the coming months.
This system is not merely administrative. It addresses a deeper absence. Without standardized assessments, education in the camps has often lacked credibility, even within the community itself. By introducing consistency and fairness, the Board is attempting to redefine what academic achievement means in a context shaped by displacement.
Recognition, in this sense, becomes central. When results are formally published and documented, students gain more than grades. They gain a sense that their work carries value, that their efforts are part of a larger system rather than isolated attempts at learning.
A Moment of Reflection at the End of Exams
On the final day of the Matriculation Examination, the Board organized a farewell program that brought together students, teachers, and community members. The event was modest, but its significance lay in what it represented.
For many participants, this was the first time in years of displacement that education felt coordinated and purposeful. The gathering became a space not only to mark the end of examinations but also to reflect on how far the system had come in a short period.
Speakers and participants emphasized that this initiative is not simply about exams. It is about rebuilding a sense of continuity in education, something that had been repeatedly disrupted by displacement and uncertainty.
The program also allowed for direct engagement between students, educators, and community leaders. In a setting where formal institutional dialogue is limited, such interactions reinforced a shared responsibility toward sustaining and improving the system.
Voices from Within the Initiative
The leadership of EBRR framed the initiative as both a response to past failures and a foundation for future continuity. Khin Maung, the convenor of EBRR, stated that the Board has been able to establish a system aimed at improving education quality, something that had not been achieved in earlier years of refugee life. He emphasized that the long-term strength of the initiative should not depend on individual leadership but on the durability of the system itself.
For educators directly involved in the process, the emphasis has been on maintaining fairness and credibility. Younus, a physics teacher from Maungdaw Township and now part of the EBRR management team, highlighted that examination papers and results are handled without bias. His assurance reflects a broader concern within the community, where trust in institutional processes has often been fragile.
Other speakers focused on the future implications of education. Faruk, a Rohingya community member, encouraged students to continue their studies despite existing challenges, noting that efforts are underway to introduce diploma programs and short courses that could expand opportunities beyond basic education.
Sayedullah, acting President of UCR, urged students to think beyond conventional employment pathways, particularly those limited to humanitarian sector jobs. He emphasized the importance of technical and skill-based education, suggesting that young people must position themselves not only as future leaders but as active contributors in the present.
These perspectives collectively reveal that EBRR is not simply building an examination system. It is also shaping how education is imagined within the camps.
Students Reclaiming Recognition
For students, the impact of the system is felt in more immediate and personal ways. One student reflected that in previous years, many passed their exams but received little recognition for their achievements. Under the EBRR system, results are publicly acknowledged, creating a sense of dignity that had been missing.
This shift is not trivial. In contexts of displacement, where identity and status are often eroded, recognition becomes a critical component of self-worth. The act of publishing results, of formally acknowledging success, contributes to rebuilding that sense of value.
Another student, aged 44, offered a different perspective on what the system has made possible. Having studied only up to Grade 5 in Myanmar, he returned to education after arriving in the camps. Encouraged by his family, he resumed his studies despite the challenges of age and social expectation.
Now completing his final year, he described a sense of fulfillment in learning alongside younger students. His experience reflects a broader transformation, where education is no longer confined to a specific age group but becomes accessible across generations. He noted that without this decision, his life would have followed a very different path, expressing gratitude to his teachers and family for their support.
These accounts suggest that the impact of EBRR extends beyond institutional reform. It is reshaping attitudes toward education, expanding who participates, and redefining what it means to learn within the camps.
External Support and Practical Constraints
While EBRR is community-led, its implementation has depended on coordination with external actors. Authorities in Bangladesh, including APBn police and the Office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner, provided support to ensure that examinations could be conducted safely.
Humanitarian organizations and NGOs contributed logistical assistance, making facilities such as cyclone shelters and learning centers available as examination venues. In a setting where infrastructure is limited and often overstretched, such support has been essential.
This cooperation reflects a recognition that education cannot function in isolation. Even a community-driven system requires a broader network of support to operate effectively.
Expanding the System
As the 2026 to 2027 academic year begins, the Examination Board has invited additional community-led schools to join the system. Institutions that meet the required standards are encouraged to become part of this unified framework.
The aim is not only expansion but consolidation. By bringing more schools under a common structure, the Board seeks to ensure consistency and sustainability in the long term. Whether this model can be maintained will depend on continued participation, trust, and coordination across the community.
For now, the initiative stands as a rare example of institutional development emerging from within the refugee camps themselves. In a context where systems are often imposed from outside or remain fragmented, EBRR represents an attempt to construct something internally coherent.
It is still a fragile system, operating within severe constraints. But for students sitting in those classrooms, holding examination papers that now carry weight, it marks a shift from uncertainty toward something more defined.
