ADDIS ABABA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- East African countries are meeting over efforts towards providing quality education for the burgeoning number of refugees in the region.
Member countries of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) are undertaking a meeting of education sector policymakers and experts in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa with a view to realize the Djibouti Declaration and Action Plan on Refugee Education, which was adopted in December 2017, the East African bloc, IGAD, said on Thursday.
According to a recent UN report, Uganda, one of IGAD member countries and home to more than 1.4 million refugees, mainly from its neighboring country South Sudan, is the first in Africa in hosting large number of refugees.
Ethiopia, another IGAD member country, also hosts more than 900,000 refugees, mainly from South Sudan, Somalia and Eritrea, according to figures from the UN.
Regional education experts, among other things, are expected to develop a joint operational plan and roadmap for the country level implementation of the declaration and plan of action, according to IGAD.
Ethiopia's State Minister for Education of Ethiopia, Mohamed Ahmedin, said that "educating refugees, internally displaced persons and returnees as well as the host communities will contribute to the attainment of peace and stability in the region."
According to Ahmedin, the Ethiopian government had previously ratified legislation that would serve the rights of refugees to get access of proper education.
"The Ethiopian Parliament approved a bill that allows refugees to enjoy education, employment and other social services opportunities at par with citizens of the country," he said.
Fathia Alwan, IGAD Health and Social Development Division head, also reiterated the IGAD's commitment to work together with its members and partners in the provision of education to refugees.
"IGAD will continue to work with partners and member states in changing the lives of refugees, returnees, IDPs and host communities through quality, accessible, affordable and relevant education at all levels," she said.
Various international organizations, which include the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as well as the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), have also expressed their support to the regional declaration and action plan on providing education for refugees.
