Education Interrupted: The Silent Impact On Afghan Refugee Children

These days, the steps being taken regarding the return of Afghan refugees in Pakistan and other countries have become a major and serious subject of debate.

However, my purpose is neither to support nor oppose this decision. Instead, I want to highlight one specific aspect: the education of Afghan refugee children who were attending schools and whose studies have suddenly been disrupted during the process of repatriation.

The question is this: if education is a fundamental right of every child, then what is the fault of those children whose education has been interrupted halfway? These children had been attending school for years.

They carried books every day, memorized lessons, took exams, and dreamed of their futures. Some dreamed of becoming doctors, some teachers, some engineers. But when they were forced to leave school in the middle of the academic year, all their hard work was left incomplete.

Even today, those children may be looking at closed school gates with longing eyes. Many of them did not even receive a certificate for the next grade, despite having studied for the entire year. It feels as though all their effort became meaningless in a single moment.

Education is not limited to books or a course syllabus. It teaches children how to think, gives them confidence, and helps them understand their role in society. When a child is suddenly removed from this environment, it affects them not only academically but emotionally as well.

They begin to think that perhaps their hard work had no value, or that education itself is unstable and can be taken away at any time. Is their only fault that they are Afghan refugees living in our country?

Most countries around the world acknowledge that education is a fundamental right of every child, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, or country of origin.

In light of this principle, an important question arises: even if the return of Afghan refugees is necessary, could at least some time not be given so that children who are close to completing an academic year are allowed to finish it? This would not change any policy, nor would it complicate administrative matters, but it could save years of hard work for these children.

A certificate may appear to be just a piece of paper, but for refugee children it holds great importance. When they return to their country or seek admission elsewhere, this certificate becomes proof of their previous education.

Without it, they may be forced to repeat the same grade or may not receive admission at all. As a result, not just one year, but several years of their lives could be lost.

It is also a reality that Afghan refugee children have already endured difficult circumstances. They left behind their homes and familiar surroundings, then tried to adapt to a new country, a new language, and a new education system. This is never an easy journey. Yet they showed resilience, continued going to school, made new friends, and worked hard.

Now, as Afghan refugees are being sent back to Afghanistan, children who were about to complete their academic year were forced to leave school at that very moment. The pain of leaving the country on one side, and unfinished education on the other, became a double burden for these children.

Once again, the same question emerges: whose fault is it, and who bears the loss? These children did not decide to migrate, they are not policymakers, nor can they shape circumstances. Yet the first and most severe impact of these decisions falls upon them. This is why children's education is always considered a sensitive and protected matter across the world.

It is also important to consider that repeatedly interrupting children's education can create negative perceptions about learning in their minds. They may start to believe that education can be stopped at any time, so why make the effort? This not only halts their personal growth but also affects society, because educated children grow into responsible citizens.

This piece is neither for nor against any policy. It merely seeks to draw attention to the need for at least some arrangement for Afghan refugee children so that they can complete their ongoing academic year, or be provided with educational documents that allow their studies to continue.

Such measures would neither create legal obstacles nor social problems, but they would help safeguard these children's educational future to some extent.

In conclusion, when the impact of major decisions falls on children, its effects are felt for many years. If we truly believe that education is a fundamental right of every child, then we must ensure that no child's education is left incomplete without reason.

Whether the child is an Afghan refugee or belongs to any other country, these children have already lost so much. If we open the doors of education just a little wider for them, perhaps a small light can remain in their future - and that light may become their hope.

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