Tens of thousands of refugees and asylum-seeking children in Egypt are unable to access education due to bureaucratic hurdles, high costs, and discrimination, Human Rights Watch reported.
The government’s residency requirements and school fees make public education unattainable for many; while bullying and exclusion further deter enrollment.
Despite Egypt hosting over 834,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers, with estimates exceeding 1.2 million, only half of the 246,000 school-age children are enrolled in schools. Legal constraints, including the 2014 decree limiting public school access to select nationalities, and insufficient humanitarian funding exacerbate the crisis.
Human Rights Watch urged Egypt to eliminate residency and fee barriers and called for international support to expand education access.
“Refugee children must not be deprived of their right to learn,” said Bassam Khawaja of HRW, warning of long-term harm to this vulnerable generation.
Under international law, Egypt is bound to guarantee that all children, irrespective of legal status, have a right to education without discrimination.
Egypt is party to several international treaties enshrining the right to free and compulsory primary education and progressively free secondary education, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
