Challenges to the Curriculum for Refugees
There are two different options available to educators in refugee camps. They can facilitate a parallel program, where students follow the curriculum of their original country or they can facilitate a mainstreaming curriculum where students follow the curriculum of their host country. There are challenges to both of these options.
In an article written by the UNHCR in 2015, the challenges are outlined as
Parallel Mainstreaming
Other challenges may be the political and emotional sensitivity of the refugee predicament, lack of quality teachers, the host country’s limited capacity to support an influx of new residents, cultural differences, financial pressure, lack of quality educational supplies and materials and a loss of hope for a better future.
To offset these challenges the UNHCR has developed a number of recommendations.
Transferring of educational qualifications and equivalencies across countries.
Allowing students to complete the school year with the curriculum of their country of origin with access to qualified staff, materials and assessment, before transitioning to a mainstreaming curriculum.
Preparing and supporting refugee students throughout the transition to a new country and curriculum. This can include language support, integration into local schools, inclusion strategies and accelerated learning.
Strategies to allow refugees to bridge their education a language to that of the host country without losing their own cultural identity.
Structuring refugee education into national education plans.
Predicting problems and finding solutions for issues like high rates of dropping out and negative reaction from locals.
Effective communication and collaboration between all stakeholders.
This is a very informative article and I recommend reading it. It has certainly made me think about all the problems that refugee students can encounter and the issues they may have in combating them. It is an issue that needs all stakeholders to work together to find solutions. This is our opportunity to become one of those stakeholders, however small that may be.
UNHCR. (2015). Curriculum Choices in Refugee Settings. [Online PDF]. Retrieved from: http://www.unhcr.org/560be1209.pdf
UNHCR. (2016). EDUCATION FOR REFUGEES: Priority activities and requirements supporting enrolment and retention in 2016. [Online PDF]. Retrieved from: http://reporting.unhcr.org/sites/default/files/UNHCR%20Education%2020160810.pdf
Comments