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The Challenges Facing Refugee Education

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The Challenges Facing Refugee Education STAYING THE COURSE THE CHALLENGES FACING REFUGEE EDUCATION Why the learning journey for displaced children is cut short – and what the world can do about it Contents Introduction by Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees 4 METHODOLOGY What the data tells us: Understanding the statistics on refugee enrolment 8 This year’s UNHCR Education Report focuses in particular on secondary Lockdown Learners: Two refugees on education – the crucial yet critically under-resourced stage for refugees either side of the world compare notes on towards greater independence and improved prospects in life. the pandemic 13 Case Study: New laboratory plugs secondary school into science studies 18 Each year, our methodology for the Education Figures are for gross enrolment rates, which Report is improved, though this by itself can encompass all learners at a given level of First Person: DAFI scholar Asma Rabi on cause some fluctuations in the statistics. Last education, irrespective of age (meaning that a young Afghan’s prospects in Peshawar 21 year, for instance, we reported data for 12 overage learners are also represented in the countries that host around half of the global statistics). As a result, statistics for some Case Study: Venezuelan teenager takes refugee population. This year, the number of countries add up to more than 100 per cent. online route to medical career 25 countries reporting data on refugee education Net enrolment rates represent the number of has risen to more than 40, providing a fuller learners who are of the appropriate age group picture than in years past. The total refugee Interview: “We cannot let education be for a given level of education, providing a more population for reporting countries was 12.65 accurate picture, but these statistics are much the victim of this crisis,” says UNESCO’s million, which constitutes more than half of the harder to collect. In this report, figures for Stefania Giannini 28 combined refugee population and Venezuelans out-of-school children are presented based on a displaced abroad under UNHCR’s mandate. simple comparison between the school-age Case Study: Syrian teacher turns moviemaker 1 Data has been collected through UNHCR population and those known to be enrolled. after classrooms close 34 regional bureaux and country operations. The data presented is representative of the academic year 2019-2020; however, for 2020, country Focus on Connected Learning: operations have been asked to report on data A low-tech answer to lockdown 37 prior to March 2020, when most school closures began as a result of the pandemic. As such, Case Study: Darfuri couple put education enrolment statistics do not account for the impact of the pandemic on access to school. at heart of family life 40 Final Word: Author and vlogger John Green 44 Call to Action: 1 Calculating the number of out-of-school children is at present a matter of subtracting gross enrolment figures from the school- How you can help young refugees 46 age population provided by country operations. As such, it fails to capture the five dimensions of exclusion typically used to generate out-of-school figures (UNICEF & UNESCO-UIS, 2015). Achieving a more accurate representation of situations faced by out-of-school children is one of our key targets in the coming years. 2 UNHCR > 2021 REFUGEE EDUCATION REPORT > STAYING THE COURSE UNHCR > 2021 REFUGEE EDUCATION REPORT > STAYING THE COURSE 3 STAYING THE COURSE BY FILIPPO GRANDI, UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES “Confronting this challenge requires a massive, coordinated Centre stage: UN High Commissioner for effort, and it is a task we Refugees Filippo Grandi listens to refugee students from the Democratic Republic of the Congo at Makpandu Secondary School in cannot afford to shirk.” Yambio, South Sudan, in January 2021. Makpandu school, where refugees and host community students learn together, has achieved some of the best results in the country in the South Sudan Certificate of Secondary Education. © UNHCR / ANDREEA CAMPEANU 4 UNHCR > 2021 REFUGEE EDUCATION REPORT > STAYING THE COURSE UNHCR > 2021 REFUGEE EDUCATION REPORT > STAYING THE COURSE 5 Factbox UNHCR estimates that from Children account for 30 per cent Enrolling 300,000 additional children each year requires 6,000 2018 to 2020, an average of of the world’s population, classrooms and the recruitment of 10,000 additional teachers between 290,000 and 340,000 but 42 per cent of all forcibly (based on a ratio of 50 pupils per classroom and 30 pupils per teacher). children were born into a refugee displaced people. life per year. From 2018 to 2020, almost a million children were born as It is also the bridge to higher education. UNHCR Confronting this challenge requires a massive, and partners have set an ambitious target of 15 coordinated effort, and it is a task we cannot refugees. Right from the start, those youngsters face spending per cent for refugee enrolment at this level by afford to shirk. their childhoods, even their entire lives, outside the country they 2030 – our 15by30 campaign. The good news is For all children and youth, especially the most that the most recent enrolment level for higher should call home. vulnerable, we need a worldwide “back-to- education is at 5 per cent, up from 3 per cent school” campaign. For refugees in particular, year-on-year and 1 per cent only a few years ago. The impact of COVID-19 on their lives will be profound. UNESCO states must ensure that they are part of national That progress, and all other educational educational systems and planning, including estimates that more than 1.5 billion learners have been affected by advances for refugees, is nevertheless under catch-up programmes. the closure of their school or university since the start of the grave threat due to COVID-19. While it remains Where resources are stretched – bearing in mind too early to know its full impact, the damage is pandemic. that 27 per cent of refugees are located in the likely to be terrible. Estimates from UNHCR world’s least developed countries – host states offices in 37 countries indicate that refugee need international support to build capacity at learners lost an average of 142 days of school up secondary level: more schools, appropriate to March 2021 because of closures of schools, learning materials, teacher training for universities and other institutions – an enormous specialised subjects, separate facilities for deficit to recover. teenage girls, and more. For sure, this unprecedented disruption to That is why the focus of UNHCR’s 2021 It’s true that many students and teachers have education affects all children. But for young Education Report is on secondary education, as And we need to close the digital divide, with adapted, and fast. Online resources are endless, refugees, already facing significant obstacles to we highlight the demand, the benefits and the better and more affordable connectivity as well and over the past few months we have seen a place in the classroom, it could dash all hopes gaps in provision and opportunity. as low-tech or no-tech educational platforms. technology and digital learning make rapid of getting the schooling they need. These are all clear action points that will have For refugee adolescents, the pressures to drop advances. demonstrable results. At all levels, refugee enrolment is lower than that out of school and support their families can be Yet inequality is present in the virtual world, too. of non-refugees. As refugee children get older, intense – pressures only made worse by the The pandemic has given many of us a taste of Digital learning is more achievable if you have an however, the picture rapidly worsens and those pandemic’s economic devastation. The risk of what for refugees is daily reality: isolation, internet connection, a suitable device, the at secondary level are at greatest risk of being boys and girls being subjected to child labour, restrictions on movement, economic uncertainty, money to afford such things and somewhere left behind. including its more exploitative forms, is acute. the sudden denial of basic services… hundreds quiet to listen and learn. of thousands of children are born into this life At primary level, UNHCR data suggests that 68 Yet without a secondary education, young For thousands of refugee learners who live in year after year. per cent of refugee children are enrolled in people who should be embracing an important unconnected regions, who do not have access to school. By contrast, the gross enrolment for phase of growth, development and opportunity, We are losing ground in the effort to ensure full, digital devices (or must share them with others), refugees plummets at secondary level, instead face huge risks. Denying them a quality education for all. But with coordinated and who live in crowded conditions, such averaging just 34 per cent. While there are wide secondary education is like removing an entire action, we can make up for lost time and resources are unrealistic. regional differences, in some countries the section of a bridge that leads to their futures – then reach our ultimate target: to give all children secondary enrolment rate for refugees is in the bridge to better financial prospects, greater and youth, including refugees, the education single digits. independence and improved health outcomes. they deserve. 6 UNHCR > 2021 REFUGEE EDUCATION REPORT > STAYING THE COURSE UNHCR > 2021 REFUGEE EDUCATION REPORT > STAYING THE COURSE 7 WHAT THE DATA TELLS US Knuckling down: An Afghan refugee girl gets to grips with her studies in the city of Pakdasht, south-east of the Iranian capital, Tehran. © UNHCR / ZAHRA NAZARI The most comprehensive data analysis UNHCR has yet carried out on refugee education reveals stark differences in school enrolment across the world, with rates in Sub-Saharan Africa well ahead of those in Asia and the Americas.
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