From Ms Jenny Perlman Robinson.

Sir, James Fontanella and Tom Burgis have it right: refugees do indeed need lessons for life (“Investing In Young People 2008”, Special Report, January 25), and in many refugee settings, education is sorely lacking. While the situation for young children is bad, it is even more dire for older children and adolescents, who have often missed years of schooling. With the majority of refugees being displaced for an average of 17 years, there is a serious risk of whole generations missing out on educational opportunities.