Equity to Educational Access

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Bisma Naveed, a medical student from Pakistan. She is affiliated to the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writers and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the topic, nor The European Sting’s one.

The 2014-15 refugee crisis has had a major effect on OECD countries due to the considerable number of those being displaced from conflicts and the comprehensive policy response required. Even though many of the countries had already welcomed refugees in previous flows, the magnitude and diversity of the flows within a short time. The skill and educational level are also quite diverse across countries of origin and refugee waves.

Refugee students have been often treated as a homogenous group, which has prevented detailed examinations of pre-migration and post-migration factors. These are relevant for understanding the particular needs of refugee students and developing appropriate educational support. Refugees arriving in different OECD countries often have diverse national, cultural, linguistic, ethnic and racial backgrounds and circumstances, including their educational experiences in countries of asylum. Even within the same host country individuals from different regions may have diverse educational needs.

As refugee students are a heterogeneous group with different skills, experiences and backgrounds, how can countries and education systems integrate them effectively? Children of EU-born migrants generally have the right to be admitted to their host State’s educational, apprenticeship and vocational training courses under the same conditions as nationals12, including access to education related social benefits.

Migrant children in an irregular situation are the most at risk of staying out of school. Only seven EU MS have explicitly recognized undocumented migrant children`s entitlement to basic formal education (Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden) while three MS explicitly exclude or limit their right to schooling. In most MS, the right to education is provided to all children in the country, hence implicitly also to children staying irregularly.

Furthermore, schools may demand birth certificates, prior education credentials, national identification papers or proof of residency to enroll. This is largely due to diverging national legislation, varying responsible authorities (national vs. federal/ regional), and tools and methodologies to collect and analyze education data and statistics. Moreover, while in some countries data is recorded based on the migration status of children, in others this is done with a focus on citizenship or language skills. Legal barriers including lack of clear provisions on compulsory education for children in reception centers, children without residence permits or international protection status, or legal provisions for compulsory education, which may limit access to education for children outside a certain age group.

Administrative challenges including inflexible registration deadlines, residence and other personal documentation requirements, extended stay in first reception centers where school enrolment is not compulsory. Insufficient human and financial resources of education authorities including limited places in schools and preschools, lack of catch-up classes, budgetary shortfalls, insufficient guidance and training for teachers and education practitioners who work with refugee and migrant students, including those in need of psychosocial support and language learning.

Ensure national legislation guarantees full and equal access for all children to inclusive and quality education in the formal education system, including access to catch-up programs and accelerated learning opportunities, regardless of their asylum or migration status. 

References

 ∙ ACCESS TO EDUCATION FOR REFUGEE AND MIGRANT CHILDREN IN EUROPE by UNHCR and UNICEF 

∙ REFUGEE EDUCATION: INTEGRATION MODELS AND PRACTICES IN OECD COUNTRIES by Lucie Cerna