Education

2017

Access to paid employment is a real big constraint for refugees and asylum-seekers; the activities they carry out do not generate enough income for them to cover their children's schooling needs. UNHCR's resources are limited, therefore, assistance to higher education is not offered. In urban areas, refugees face the high cost of education while those in rural areas face problems in accessing quality education. In addition, it should also be noted that the rate of student drop-out is high in DRC but relatively low in Gabon. The students usually have poor results or dropout to look for livelihoods opportunities to help their parents. The lack of a specific program for youth integration is a huge gap that needs to be covered. These young people usually face risk of sexual exploitation, financial exploitation or sex for survival.
 
To reduce the above mentioned risks, UNHCR will support the access to primary education by paying the school fees and supplying learning materials to children enrolled in primary schools. UNHCR will also contribute toward secondary education to support parents in urban areas in order to reduce the above mentioned risks and to promote the right to education.
 
It will be important that UNHCR and its partners (including the Government and the people of concern) provide mentoring program opportunities for early childhood and adolescents. To do so, UNHCR will develop strategy for fundraising toward this by strengthening collaboration with UNICEF, NGOs, provincial Ministries of Education and the refugees committees.