Mukti Cox’s Bazar, in collaboration with Children on the Edge, organized a workshop on the Hanifi Script on September 9, 2024, at the RRRC office in Cox’s Bazar. The workshop aimed to advocate for incorporating the Hanifi Script into the camp education system alongside the Myanmar National Curriculum. A total of 37 participants attended, including 32 men and 5 women. The event was presided over by Mr. Bimal Chandra Dey Sarkar, Chief Executive of Mukti Cox’s Bazar. The Chief Guest was Mr. Md. Mizanur Rahman, Additional Secretary, Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner. Special guests included Mr. Md Shamsud Douza, Additional RRRC, Mr. Muhammad Talut, Deputy Secretary, RRRC, Mr. Parimol Kumar Sarkar, Senior Assistant Secretary, RRRC, Dr. Abu Toha Md. Rizuanul Haque Bhuiyan, Health Coordinator, RRRC, Dr. Md. Sarwar Jahan, Assistant Health Coordinator, RRRC, Mr. Kazi Matiur Rahaman, Education Sector Co lead, Ms. Nishitha Andra, Education Specialist, UNICEF, Ms. Mousumi Tripura, SBC officer, UNICEF and Sadaf Hoq, Programme Manager at PORTICUS.
Mr. John Littleton, Regional Manager for Asia at Children on the Edge UK, presented a PowerPoint on the outcomes of a 6-month Hanifi Script Pilot project. He highlighted the high-quality results achieved in the year-end assessment among 400 learners in Camp-5. The workshop was attended by RRRC officials, Camp in Charge, Assistant Camp in Charge, and representatives from INGOs and NGOs.
Mr. Md. Mizanur Rahman emphasized on ensuring quality education among the Rohingya children. He mentioned that the Hanifi script, being similar to Arabic, is more comfortable for Rohingya children. This was evident as the year-end assessment results significantly improved among the pilot project learners. He also stated that every child has the right to complete their primary education in their mother language. If Hanifi is the mother language of the Rohingya, it could be considered as a complementary language to the Myanmar national curriculum.
During the workshop, participants and organizers engaged in a constructive debate about the Hanifi Script. They reached a consensus on the importance of conducting a survey among the Rohingya FDMN (Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals) to assess their acceptance of the Hanifi Script. This survey will be coordinated with the Education Sector to determine whether the script should be incorporated into the camp education system considering the educational needs and preferences of the Rohingya community. At the conclusion of the workshop, the Chief Executive of Mukti Cox’s Bazar expressed his heartfelt thanks to all the participants for their valuable time and active engagement in the discussions. He also extended his gratitude to Children on the Edge for their partnership in providing education to both the host and Rohingya community children, expressing hope that this collaboration will continue to grow.