Accelerated Learning Program at the Rohingya Camp, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh: A Structured Pathway for Over-Age and Out-of-School Children

 

The Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) at the Rohingya camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh has emerged as a critical education pathway for over-age and out-of-school children who have missed years of formal schooling due to displacement, conflict, and prolonged crisis. Within one of the world’s largest refugee settlements, the MC-ALP (Myanmar Curriculum – Accelerated Learning Program) provides a structured, age-appropriate, and accelerated opportunity for adolescent learners to regain access to education.

Implemented within the humanitarian education framework of Cox’s Bazar, the Accelerated Learning Program is aligned with the Myanmar Curriculum (MC) and sector-approved guidelines to ensure quality, relevance, and learner protection.

 Why Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) Is Essential in the Rohingya Camp?

In the Rohingya camp, thousands of children fall outside the standard age-grade structure of the Myanmar Curriculum. Many adolescents are enrolled in lower competency levels, creating a mismatch between age, cognitive maturity, and learning environment.

The Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) directly addresses this challenge by offering:

• A condensed and competency-based curriculum
• Age-appropriate learning for over-age adolescents
• A second-chance education pathway for learners who dropped out or never enrolled
• Clear transition routes to the Myanmar Curriculum, pre-vocational, or livelihood pathways

In Bangladesh, particularly in Cox’s Bazar, ALP functions as a bridge between missed education and future opportunities.

 MC-ALP: Alignment with Myanmar Curriculum in Cox’s Bazar:

The MC-ALP is specifically designed to align with the Myanmar Curriculum scale-up roadmap in the Rohingya camp, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. It compresses multiple grade-level competencies into structured learning packages while maintaining core academic and life-skills outcomes.

The curriculum prioritizes:

• Burmese
• Mathematics
• English
• Science
• Social Studies
• Life Skills
• Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

This alignment ensures that learners completing the Accelerated Learning Program can be considered for mainstreaming into appropriate grades of the Myanmar Curriculum or transition into alternative learning pathways.

 Learner-Centered and Inclusive Design of ALP:

The Accelerated Learning Program in the Rohingya camp is intentionally designed for over-age learners aged approximately 10–18 years, with flexibility for children with disabilities. Special emphasis is placed on:

• Adolescent girls
• Children with disabilities
• Learners affected by trauma and prolonged displacement

Inclusive education principles are embedded across ALP implementation in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, ensuring safe, child-friendly, and non-discriminatory learning environments.

 Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in ALP:

Recognizing the emotional and psychological impact of displacement, MHPSS is fully integrated into the Accelerated Learning Program. In the Rohingya camp, ALP learning spaces promote emotional safety, resilience, and positive relationships.

Key MHPSS elements include:

• Teacher capacity building on psychosocial support
• Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) sessions
• Safe classroom environments
• Referral mechanisms for specialized support

This holistic approach ensures that learning in Cox’s Bazar addresses both academic recovery and emotional well-being.

 Assessment, Progression, and Mainstreaming:

The Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) follows a structured assessment framework that includes placement tests, continuous formative assessments, and year-end evaluations. These assessments guide:

• Learner placement into appropriate ALP packages
• Transition into the Myanmar Curriculum
• Referral to pre-vocational or livelihood opportunities

For learners in the Rohingya camp, this system ensures transparent progression and informed decision-making involving parents, learners, and education partners.

 

ALP as a Sustainable Education Pathway in Bangladesh:

In Bangladesh, particularly in Cox’s Bazar, the Accelerated Learning Program is more than an emergency intervention. It represents a system-strengthening approach that complements the broader education response by:

• Reducing over-age enrollment pressure in lower grades
• Supporting retention of adolescent learners
• Creating education-to-livelihood pathways
• Strengthening coordination among sector partners

 Conclusion:

The Accelerated Learning Program at the Rohingya camp, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh stands as a vital pathway for children who have been left behind by crisis. Through the MC-ALP, learners gain not only academic competencies but also confidence, resilience, and hope for the future.

By combining accelerated learning, inclusion, psychosocial support, and structured mainstreaming pathways, the Accelerated Learning Program demonstrates how quality education can be delivered even in the most complex humanitarian settings.