Curriculum Choices for Refugees: What UNRWA's History Can Tell Us about the Potential of UN Education Programs to Address Refugees' 'Unknowable Futures'.

This article examines the complexities and limitations of United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) education policies for Palestinian refugees, particularly in the aftermath of the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. It highlights how UNRWA’s longstanding decision to align refugee education with host state curricula—driven by political pressures, donor interests, and institutional constraints—prioritized access and economic integration over the social and political dimensions of education. The ensuing curriculum review process, involving UNESCO and contested by host states and Israel, underscored the state-centric governance that marginalized Palestinian voices and limited the UN’s influence over educational content. This historical case illustrates broader challenges in global refugee education policies, emphasizing the need for a nuanced understanding of education’s role beyond technical inclusion to address refugees’ social, political, and economic rights amid protracted displacement.