Recent years have seen a substantial rise in the number of refugees as a result of the political situation throughout the world. The number of people crowded into shelters is a result of immigration. Insufficient resources to support all life leads to scarcity in almost every dimension. It includes the chance to pursue education, which is the basis for a bright future and a high standard of living.
Statistics in the Global Trends report released in June 2022 by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reveal that there are 21.3 million refugees from around the world in 2021. From 10.5 million in the previous ten years, it has doubled. 7.4 million of them are still of school age.
Youths with refugee status are prevalent. Access to elementary school becomes challenging after that. Over 3.7 million school-age refugees have left the educational system due to barriers to entry, according to the report “STEPPING UP: Refugee Education in Crisis.” only 63 percent of the refugees has completed their elementary education as of the end of 2018. Meanwhile, refugee children enrolled in secondary and higher education increased by just 1-2 percent from the previous year to 24 and 3 percent, respectively.
Although there is a slight increase in the overall number of refugees in their access to education when these figures compare with the number of youth who have access to the same level of education, it is clear that there is still a lack of educational opportunities among refugees. It is especially true for secondary schools, where 84% of children come from all over the world to enroll in the system.
Look back at Thailand, one of the countries where many refugees settle. The number of refugees in Bangkok and the surrounding area is revealed in a research paper by Save the Children on “Forgotten Futures of Refugee Children.” The 6,000 are more than 2,000 children as of 2018. Education opportunities are lost to these children while they are kept in detention, negatively affecting their quality of life as adults.
The study provides recommendations for fostering refugee education. In spite of the government’s support for education for refugees through its Education for All policy, the overlap in educational management still occurs because of unresolved gaps and policies that do not correspond to refugee management.
Several children lack complete access to schooling. Due to worries about their rights and existence in Thailand, some people are hesitant to enroll in the central education system. The government should ensure the identity of the refugees. It makes sure that children are given the proper status so they may enter Thailand’s educational system with ease. Once parents gain the status, the government should assist them in finding the suitable employment so they can fund their children’s education.
As part of the Jesuit Refugee Service’s Urban Education Project (UEP) in the Asia-Pacific area, it also helps children who have fled persecution obtain an education in Thailand’s public system. It is an activity to help refugees who don’t have access to education in the Bangkok region. It encourages abilities that may be learned on the job and places an emphasis on short-term education. The government should let non-Thai refugees participate in this learning area since access to learning materials is the program’s principal barrier.
