Education for Refugees

After attending the same school for ten years, Emily faced the label of “new kid” for the first time. Growing up, she always had close relationships with her classmates and teachers. She was the top student in her class and thrived both in and out of the classroom. After her family moved, Emily began on a spiral of self-doubt. 

She wondered if she would be able to make new friends. She questioned whether she would be welcome to sit at a lunch table with the girls at her new school. She struggled with a new curriculum. Teachers had new expectations and different ways of teaching that were entirely unfamiliar to Emily. Her favorite subjects presented new challenges; her literature class was now centered around character development instead of plot summary and PE emphasized individual strength over team sports. 

While struggling with being the “new kid,” Emily had another label to conquer: “refugee.” 

Emily’s family was forced to leave Venezuela after months of political strife, violence, and attacks on their wellbeing. They packed only their most precious belongings: family photos, identification cards, and money. Her parents relocated her entire family to a satellite town outside Quito, Ecuador where each of them had to work to create a new life for themselves. Emily had to come to terms with her life being uprooted, being an outcast in a new town, and feeling out of place all while dealing with the insecurities and challenges that accompany being a teenager. 

As she grew accustomed to her new surroundings, Emily regained confidence. She made friends by asking classmates to work on homework together in the library or at her house after school. In her second year, she regained her spot at the top of the class. A few months later, she was elected president of the student body. 

Obstacles to education are furthered by gender gaps. Beginning in secondary school, there are roughly 10 boys to every 8 girls in a class. Following Covid, about 50% of refugee girls previously enrolled in school may not return because of increased duties in the home or the feeling that education is not furthering their future. 

Refugee students face a number of unique challenges. Young children and teenagers are torn from their homes, stripped of the world they know, and brought to a new location where they are expected to carry on as normal. When fighting for the safety of themselves and their families, education comes second for most refugees.

Many countries that house refugees have damaged infrastructure from their own experiences with conflict. Iran, for example, faced years of conflict and internal displacement. Much of their infrastructure is ruined, including about half the school buildings. The number of teachers has decreased while the number of refugees has increased. When countries like Iran need to focus on fixing their own education system for their citizens, refugee education falls far from the order of priorities, leaving the 82 million refugees worldwide to grapple with diminishing opportunities. 

There are roughly 26 million kids like Emily worldwide.  Emily had to battle against labels, internal doubt, and external hurdles blocking her from reaching her full potential as a student. She left behind the world she knew while facing the normal pressures of being a teenager. Still, in many ways, Emily was lucky. Ecuador has legal protections that allow all children to study in state schools, regardless of immigration status. Many countries do not have the same legislation and many refugee youths face larger barriers to entry. 

Over a third of refugees are of school age. However, education options for refugee children diminish after primary school. 77% of refugee children are enrolled in primary school while only 31% are enrolled in secondary school. This is because of the lack of accessible schools, lack of qualified teachers, inadequate resources, increased household duties, and many other factors on a personal or familial level. 

Only 3% of refugees are enrolled in higher education. Many students are pulled out of school at the secondary level, so they are not qualified for university. Other students face language barriers, as many universities and scholarships request applications are completed in English. Moreover, many students are not told that university is a legitimate option due to household responsibilities, financial barriers, and lack of information. 

When the formal education system focuses on rote memorization instead of critical thinking students are trained to regurgitate facts and figures and are rarely challenged to ask questions. This produces students who accept norms instead of challenging them.

Hello Future works to combat the issues that accompany refugee education. We create a safe space for students to feel welcomed, heard, and accepted. Once this critical foundation is established, students are able to gain confidence in themselves and their abilities. Our program supplements core lessons that are not emphasized in the Iraqi school system, like digital literacy, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship. By creating an accessible curriculum, students become comfortable with their capabilities and quickly develop a sense of empowerment.