Education in Bhutanese Refugee Camps

Education in Bhutanese refugee camps was one of the most remarkable achievements of the Lhotshampa refugee community during their more than two decades of exile in southeastern Nepal. Despite severe resource constraints, restricted legal status, and an uncertain future, the seven refugee camps developed a comprehensive education system spanning early childhood development through secondary school, adult literacy, and vocational training. Literacy rates in the camps significantly surpassed those of the surrounding Nepali host communities — a testament to the community's deep investment in learning as a tool for survival and eventual self-sufficiency.^[1]

The education system was administered primarily by Caritas Nepal, a Catholic development organization, under the coordination of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). At its peak, the system comprised over 100 schools serving approximately 40,000 students across the seven camps, staffed almost entirely by refugee teachers receiving modest incentive payments rather than formal salaries.^[2]

Historical Development

Education activities began almost immediately after the camps were established in 1991-1993. Even before formal institutional structures were in place, refugee teachers — many of whom had been professional educators in Bhutan before their expulsion — organized informal classes under trees and in makeshift shelters. This spontaneous commitment to education reflected a deeply held conviction within the Lhotshampa community that learning was essential regardless of circumstances.

In 1992, UNHCR contracted Caritas Nepal as the lead implementing partner for education in the camps. Caritas Nepal established a formal school system with a defined curriculum, trained teaching corps, and administrative structure. The organization set up education coordination offices in each camp and recruited refugee education coordinators to liaise between the schools, camp management committees, and Caritas headquarters. The Lutheran World Federation (LWF), which handled overall camp management, provided physical infrastructure including the construction of school buildings using bamboo frames and thatched or tin roofing.^[3]

Curriculum and Examinations

The curriculum evolved over the life of the camps. Initially, schools followed a modified version of the Bhutanese national curriculum, reflecting the community's expectation of eventual repatriation. As it became clear that repatriation was not imminent, the curriculum was adapted to align more closely with the Nepali national education framework, giving students better prospects for further education should opportunities arise.

The language of instruction was Nepali, which was the mother tongue of the Lhotshampa community. English was taught as a second language from the primary level. Mathematics, science, social studies, health education, and environmental studies formed the core subjects. At the secondary level, students could prepare for the School Leaving Certificate (SLC) examination, Nepal's national secondary school completion exam.

The SLC examination was a critical milestone. Although refugees lacked formal legal status in Nepal, arrangements were made for camp students to sit for the SLC exam as private candidates. Pass rates among camp students were competitive with or superior to national averages — a remarkable achievement given the constraints under which they studied. The SLC certificate became the most valuable credential a camp-raised young person could possess, serving as proof of educational attainment in resettlement applications and, for the fortunate few who gained access, a gateway to higher education in Nepal or India.^[1]

Schools and Infrastructure

Each camp contained multiple primary schools and at least one secondary school. The larger camps, such as Beldangi I, had several primary schools organized by sector and a central secondary school. School buildings were simple structures of bamboo and thatch, later upgraded in some cases with tin roofing and cement floors. Classrooms were typically crowded, with 50 to 70 students per room common at the primary level. Furniture consisted of wooden benches and desks; blackboards were the primary teaching tool.

Libraries, while small, were established in most camps with books donated by international organizations and collected through community drives. Science laboratories were virtually nonexistent — science instruction relied heavily on textbook learning and improvised demonstrations. The absence of laboratory facilities was a significant disadvantage for students preparing for the SLC science examinations.

Teachers

The teaching corps was composed almost entirely of refugees. Many had been trained teachers in Bhutan; others were educated community members who received in-service training through Caritas Nepal's teacher development programs. Teachers received monthly "incentive payments" — stipends significantly below formal salaries — rather than employment wages, consistent with the legal restriction on refugee employment in Nepal. These payments, funded through UNHCR, were modest (typically 3,000 to 5,000 Nepali rupees per month, equivalent to approximately 25 to 45 US dollars), and teacher retention was a persistent challenge.

Despite low compensation, the dedication of refugee teachers was widely recognized. Many teachers worked additional hours offering tutoring and exam preparation, organized extracurricular activities, and served as community mentors. The teacher training programs conducted by Caritas Nepal, though limited in scope, provided instruction in pedagogy, classroom management, and child psychology. Some teachers were able to attend external training programs organized by UNHCR's education partners.^[2]

Literacy Rates and Educational Outcomes

The most frequently cited achievement of the camp education system was the literacy rate. By the mid-2000s, literacy among the camp population was estimated at approximately 63 to 70 percent, significantly higher than the literacy rate in the surrounding Jhapa and Morang districts of Nepal (which at the time was approximately 50 to 55 percent). Among the camp-born generation (aged 6 to 25), literacy approached 90 percent, reflecting near-universal school enrollment.^[1]

Enrollment rates at the primary level were high — over 90 percent of eligible children attended school. Retention at the secondary level was lower, particularly among girls, who faced pressure to assist with household duties and, in some cases, early marriage. Gender parity programs implemented by Caritas Nepal and UNHCR, including targeted scholarships and community awareness campaigns, helped narrow the gap over time.

Early Childhood Development

Early childhood development (ECD) programs were established in all seven camps to provide structured learning activities for children aged 3 to 5. ECD centers, staffed by trained refugee facilitators, offered age-appropriate activities including storytelling, singing, basic numeracy, and socialization. These programs served the dual purpose of preparing children for primary school and freeing parents — particularly mothers — to engage in other activities. The ECD programs were considered among the most successful components of the education system, with high enrollment and positive developmental outcomes.^[3]

Adult Literacy and Vocational Training

Adult literacy classes targeted residents who had not had the opportunity for formal education in Bhutan, particularly women from rural backgrounds. These programs taught basic reading, writing, and numeracy in Nepali, along with functional skills such as record-keeping and basic health knowledge. Participation was voluntary and attendance varied, but the programs contributed to the overall rise in camp literacy rates.

Vocational training programs, introduced in the later years of the camps and expanded under the resettlement preparation framework, offered instruction in carpentry, tailoring, electrical wiring, plumbing, computer literacy, and English language. These programs were designed to equip refugees with marketable skills for life in resettlement countries. The International Organization for Migration (IOM), which managed pre-departure orientation for resettling refugees, incorporated these vocational components into its cultural orientation curriculum.

Challenges

The education system faced numerous challenges throughout its existence. Chronic underfunding limited the availability of textbooks, stationery, and teaching materials. Large class sizes made individualized instruction difficult. The absence of post-secondary pathways within the camp system meant that SLC graduates faced a "dead end" — highly motivated students with no access to college or university education, and no legal right to work. This mismatch between educational achievement and available opportunity was a source of profound frustration for young people and their families.^[4]

A small number of exceptional students obtained scholarships to attend universities in Nepal, India, or abroad through programs organized by UNHCR, the Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative (DAFI), and other scholarship providers. These individuals were a tiny fraction of the eligible population, but their achievements — in medicine, engineering, education, and other fields — demonstrated the unrealized potential of the camp-educated generation.

Legacy

The educational foundation built in the camps proved to be one of the most important assets the Bhutanese refugee community carried into resettlement. Refugees arrived in the United States, Canada, Australia, and other countries with higher average literacy rates and educational attainment than many other refugee populations. Camp-educated young people quickly enrolled in schools and colleges in resettlement countries, and many went on to complete higher education degrees. The tradition of valuing education, cultivated over two decades in bamboo schoolrooms, continues to define the Bhutanese diaspora's approach to community development.

References

1. UNHCR. "Bhutanese Refugees." https://www.unhcr.org/asia/bhutanese-refugees
2. Caritas Nepal. https://www.caritas.org/where-caritas-work/asia/nepal/
3. UNHCR. "Bhutanese Refugees Mark 20 Years in Exile." https://www.unhcr.org/us/news/stories/bhutanese-refugees-nepal-frustrated-lack-progress
4. The Diplomat. "Bhutan's Dark Secret: The Lhotshampa Expulsion." September 2016. https://thediplomat.com/2016/09/bhutans-dark-secret-the-lhotshampa-expulsion/