In a powerful and emotional appeal that is now gaining international attention, Likambo Isaac Kangu, the Founder and Executive Director of The Refugee Voice, has called for urgent reforms to global education systems to ensure that refugee students are not left behind—especially in access to higher learning.
Speaking from one of the world’s largest refugee settlements, Kangu shed light on the often-overlooked barriers that keep thousands of displaced learners from reaching their full academic potential, including age restrictions on scholarships, poor access to information, and the absence of higher education institutions in refugee settlements.
“Education is not a privilege—it is a right,” Kangu stated. “Yet for many refugees, that right is restricted by age-based policies that don’t account for the realities of displacement. We are not too old to learn—we’re just delayed by war.”
Kangu’s advocacy resonates with many across Africa and beyond, especially those who, like him, were denied scholarship opportunities simply because they were considered “too old” despite their academic qualifications and drive.
In his statement, Kangu urged governments, UNHCR, and education-focused agencies to:
• Remove rigid age caps from scholarship eligibility for refugees.
• Increase localized access to scholarship information using community-based communication.
• Establish university campuses and vocational colleges inside refugee settlements.
• Involve refugees in the creation of education policies and solutions that affect them.
With The Refugee Voice already active in mobilizing youth, running educational initiatives, and amplifying the voices of displaced persons, this new push for higher education inclusion marks a bold step toward systemic change.
The speech, which is being widely shared across humanitarian circles and advocacy platforms, is already prompting conversations among international education stakeholders.
“This is not a protest—it is a plea for progress,” Kangu concluded. “Give us a chance, and we will change the world.
