Sustainable Education: Unlocking Hope for Refugee Children

Abstract

This theoretical paper critically examines the education of refugee children in primary schools in South Africa. Early and primary education plays a pivotal role in equipping children with essential skills for future academic success. Therefore, it is essential that all children have equitable access to quality education, facilitating their optimal development without encountering barriers along their educational journey. This lays the foundation for their subsequent education and overall development. This article operates under the premise that despite existing policies, including national and international legal frameworks, advocating for equal educational access and quality provision for refugee and asylum-seeking children, the historical and ongoing challenges faced by this demographic, alongside instances of insufficient access and inadequate quality of provision affecting a broader refugee population, necessitate immediate attention. Failure to address these issues could have adverse effects on the academic attainment and future prospects of refugee children.

1. Introduction

Equity and quality education are central to the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Education stands as an independent goal within the agenda, comprising seven outcome targets and three means of implementation. These goals intersect with various aspects of the agenda, notably health and well-being, gender equality, decent work and economic growth, responsible consumption and production, and climate change mitigation [1]. The second outcome of the education goal for SDGs focuses on early childhood education and universal basic education, aiming to ensure access for all children regardless of their socio-economic background or disability. This entails providing at least a year of free and compulsory pre-primary education guided by competent and qualified educators.

Furthermore, it is also expected that a safe and child-friendly teaching and learning environment be provided to all children for successful learning and holistic development. Such an environment, according to the developmental goal, is expected to provide support, care, and stimulation for all children without any barrier to unlocking every child’s innate potential [2]. The SDGs not only focus on universal access and completion of primary education for all, as indicated in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), but also emphasize the importance of equitable access to post-basic education and training for all [1]. The question that bothers the mind is: Are all children receiving equal access and quality pre-primary and primary education in South Africa, not to mention equitable primary education and training?

A major focus in this review is directed at the refugee population and their educational access. What is the state of the youngest population in their countries of residence? Here, our attention is drawn specifically to refugee children in South Africa. Do these children have access to pre-primary and primary education in South Africa? In terms of their school participation and integration, is the teaching and learning environment inclusive and supportive of the refugee children’s needs? In this theoretical paper, the author employs a traditional review method to offer a comprehensive and unbiased overview of the current understanding of the topic. Relevant articles were randomly selected and examined to deepen the author’s comprehension of the subject matter under theoretical exploration. Specifically, the review draws from a variety of reputable sources, including articles from accredited journals, select book chapters, and newspaper articles. This meticulous process enables the author to encompass a broad spectrum of perspectives for thorough review and analysis.

The subsequent paragraph delves into the literature review, which serves to explore the breadth of knowledge, thus substantiating the research question posed in the theoretical paper.

2. Literature review

Recent studies have indicated that refugee children in early childhood classrooms struggle to settle into their new learning environment at first but eventually develop resilience, which assists them in integrating into the school environment [3]. Research evidence in the United States of America (USA) has shown that refugee and immigrant children tend to have a lower chance of participating in Early Childhood Development programs compared to children from US-born parents. South Africa is no exception. This body of work provides an analysis and critique of debates and studies around the educational access, school integration, and participation of refugee children in the foundation phase schooling in South Africa.

Equal access to public primary education and learning opportunities for all children is central to the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) [4]. Universal education represents a distinct objective consisting of seven outcome targets and three methods of implementation.

Exposing all children to equal learning opportunities gives them a good head-start for sustainable learning and optimal development [5]. This will no doubt promote their socio-emotional, physical, cognitive, and academic well-being [6, 7]. As noted by the United Nations Secretary-General in “Migration, Displacement and Education: Building Bridges, Not Walls,” education for refugees or displaced people is their fundamental human right and a revolutionary way for poverty eradication and a viable means for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 for 2030: “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” [8, 9].

The South African Schools Act of 1996, which states that “The state may not discriminate directly or indirectly against anyone on one or more grounds, including race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, ethnic or social origin, color, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, language, or birth,” henceforth prohibits discrimination in terms of access to educational institutions and also forbids admission requirements that discriminate, compelling the state to consider all rational educational alternatives to ensure equal access to educational institutions. As a result, it is imperative that all children, irrespective of their background, are allowed access to primary education in their countries of residence.

Other studies have also shown that young refugee children are continually exposed to stressful lives and face challenges that marginalize them within society [10, 11]. The situations they experience in their countries of nationality before migration, during migration, and after their arrival in host countries are overwhelming, leading to diverse problems that affect their integration into schools [12, 13]. For instance, the lack of support observed in countries and schools enrolling refugee children leads to limited or absent opportunities [14, 15]. This poor state of affairs in schools admitting refugees might also impact their ability to fully participate and benefit from education [16, 17]. As pointed out by the UNHCR [15] report, basic and secondary school education for displaced persons constitutes a major concern for all stakeholders and authorities concerned. The report emphasizes that children falling into this category should be exposed to equal standards of education without any discrimination [18, 19].

Nilsson and Bunar ([20], p. 400) noted that, “Despite broad agreement on the fundamental role of schools, varied standards of reception for newly arrived students, resulting from a lack of policy, guidelines, and resources, are undertaken, and they seem to be an endemic problem that transcends national borders.” For example, Shuayb et al. [21] found that Syrian refugee children in Germany and Lebanon experienced numerous challenges related to coping and integrating into the educational system of their host countries, negatively impacting their performance and overall success in school. Alkhawaldeh [22] also found that the problems facing refugee children in school stem from difficulties related to their backgrounds and war experiences, which negatively impact their academic achievement and dedication to learning. This is compounded by overcrowded classrooms and a lack of qualified teachers trained to teach children from refugee backgrounds. Busch et al. [23] similarly noted that some of the challenges with the greatest impact on refugee children in Germany relate to poor language proficiency and inadequate parent-school collaboration, affecting their participation and achievement in school.

Refugee children in South Africa face similar challenges. Perumal’s [24] findings indicated that participation in an intervention bridging program provided refugee children with the opportunity to access education when they were denied admission to South African public schools due to lack of required documentation. Other studies by Adams-Ojugbele [25] and Adams-Ojugbele and Moletsane [26] found that refugee children in the foundation phase (Grade R) were unable to access Grade R centers in public and private primary schools due to school fees and documentation issues. Supporting these findings, Meda [12] noted that refugee and asylum-seeking parents find it difficult to secure and register their children in school due to delays in processing documentation, negatively impacting refugee children’s school attendance.

The findings above are in line with recent research by Washinyira [18], which suggests that the education rights of migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers in South Africa are compromised by public school managements’ lack of understanding of admission policies concerning the refugee population. Despite the South African government’s efforts to resettle refugee families and their children into their new environment through initiatives such as monthly grants for those with up-to-date papers and the non-encampment policy allowing refugees and asylum-seeking families to reside anywhere in the country with the appropriate permits, unfair treatment and inequality in school admissions persist. Numerous non-governmental organizations, including People Against Suffering, Oppression and Poverty (PASSOP), have contributed by providing support and raising awareness for refugee families and their children in South Africa.

Despite the legal frameworks and provisions outlined in the framework, many refugee and asylum-seeking families still struggle to secure admission for their children in public primary schools. Furthermore, research evidence has established that the early exposure of children to quality education and stimulation brings about social order and helps to develop an outstanding workforce [27]. Thus, meeting the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 requires that the early education of all children, including those from refugee backgrounds, becomes a major priority and investment for all countries and the world at large [2]. This will no doubt lead to the actualization of both social and economic benefits for all [28, 29].

3. Theoretical framework

This chapter adopted Chemero’s [30] reconceptualization of the affordance theory to analyze the literature. Chemero views affordances as the relationships between the abilities of organisms and features of the environment (p. 189). In this article, the theory was utilized to comprehend the dynamic interplay between refugee children (the organisms) and the features of their environment (their host country and public primary schools). This aims to elucidate the factors within the immediate environment of refugee children that facilitate access to a positive and meaningful integration and conducive learning environment.

Building upon Gibson’s initial theory, which emphasizes the reciprocal relationship between organisms and their environment [31], it is understood that an organism must perceive, assess, and attribute meaning to the affordances of its environment in order to adapt effectively. According to Gibson’s 1986 version of the theory, the organism and its environment must be complementary due to the objective and physical nature of affordances [32].

In this article, the sustainable learning and experience of refugee children are contingent upon the provision of an enabling and supportive social and academic learning environment conducive and supportive of their overall development. This environment is characterized by qualified teachers who understand the diverse needs of refugee children and are equipped to nurture their resilience and support their holistic development. The analysis operates under the premise that a sensitive and conducive teaching and learning environment, coupled with qualified teachers and targeted interventions catering to the specific needs of refugee children, will positively impact their effective participation, integration, and overall success in school.

Drawing from existing literature that has utilized the affordance theory in various contexts, such as studies exploring environmental psychology, human-computer interaction, and education, further enriches the understanding and application of the theory in the context of refugee education. By integrating insights from these diverse fields, the study aims to provide a comprehensive and nuanced analysis of the relationship between refugee children and their educational environment.

4. Discussion

The major focus of this chapter was to understand refugee children’s access to, participation, and integration in public primary schools in the Durban area of South Africa. As expounded in the introduction section, articles were randomly selected from relevant and reliable sources for review. This was achieved by picking on selected articles for review in no order. The findings from this review are presented in three sub-sections, namely Refugee children’s access to public primary schools, refugee children’s school participation and integration for sustainability and the teaching and learning environment.

4.1 Refugee children’s access to public primary schools

Access to public primary school education has been a challenge for refugee children across the globe. As exemplified in this article, available evidence suggests that accessing education for refugee children has been a challenge for most refugee families in their countries of residence [10, 12, 24]. Factors such as lack of proper documentation, family poor socioeconomic situation, and discrimination often meant that refugee children are unable to access primary education in their host countries. Our investigation also revealed that even though some refugee parents do not present the complete documentation as at the time of enrolling their children in the school, some parents were allowed to register their child/ren provided they produce the required document at an agreed time before the session ends. As indicated by Mweni [28], the inability of refugee children in South Africa to enjoy their constitutional right as enshrined in the refugee legal framework, result from issues around school fees, documentations, language and unfair treatment through xenophobic attacks. Further, Koehler [33], noted that the “EU Member States have been facing challenges in providing decent opportunities in education for newly arriving refugees and integrating them into mainstream education (pg. 4). This challenge is not unique to the EU and should be addressed with utmost urgency and commitment worldwide to ensure the equitable and inclusive education of all individuals, regardless of their refugee status.”

4.2 Refugee children’s school integration and participation

Effective school participation for all children in the primary school is a viable way to improve inclusive education for all [34]. This review is premised on the understanding that children’s effective participation and interaction in the social and academic domains of the school is important in ensuring effective integration of all children into the primary school life. This is believed to benefit all learners, including those who experience barriers to learning either due to their social background or a learning disability. Our analysis was based on the understanding that, a successful participation in school will require an effective integration into the social and academic life of the school. This would involve the children’s connection and interaction with individuals and learning materials in the contexts of learning. This might be through their formal and informal interactions with their class teachers and peers and the classroom where teaching and learning occurs, including the school environment. The nature and quality of interactions with teachers and peers, and the availability of appropriate teaching resources in the school play an important role in this regard.

As indicated in the South African National Curriculum Framework (the CAPS) documents, and the Developmentally Appropriate Practice Statement [35], one of the aims of primary school education is to create a firm foundation for later schooling and improve children’s school participation [36, 37]. In addition, the core curriculum emphasizes the importance of interaction between children, and between teacher and children as a viable way to ensure children’s effective integration into the social and academic domains of the school. On this basis, child centeredness and group work are encouraged as pedagogies for optimal realization of learning outcomes and children’s overall development [35, 38].

As enumerated in the Developmentally Appropriate Practice Statement [35], to be effective requires the teacher to be intentional and exhibit the ability to adapt the learning instruction to the developmental needs of the child. One of the responsibilities of the teacher is to tailor the curriculum to individual child’s needs, and interest [35]. Although further findings from this analysis suggest that not all the refugee children in schools and classrooms are integrated well into the academic domains of the mainstream school. This affected their participation during their classwork and task completion. As indicated by the educators, some of the refugee children had difficulties adjusting to the school system due to poor language proficiency and probably due to poor learning support from home.

4.3 The social and the academic environment

This article is informed by the understanding that the social and academic environment for school children must support their learning and development. It also argues that a supportive learning environment for refugee children should foster a positive learning culture and impact on learners’ acquisition of necessary skills needed for optimal development and school success [39, 40, 41]. Accordingly, this article examines the nature of the teaching and learning environment and its influence on refugee children’s school integration.

As noted by Karp [42], students’ social and academic integration is enhanced when they develop a connection with the social and academic life of the school through their interaction and participation in extra-curricular activities and engaging in informal interaction and relations with peers and staffs of the school. Findings from the reviewed articles suggests that the spaces for extracurricular activities for children are somewhat limited and this affects refugee children social development in school.

4.4 Availability of intervention programs for effective integration

The review was premised on the understanding that provision of academic and psycho-social support for refugee children in schools might enhance their school adjustment and subsequently, their academic achievement. Target interventions in schools have been seen as a viable means to achieve inclusive learning and school adjustment for all [43, 44, 45]. The findings from the exploratory studies analyzed suggest that the refugee children in their new environment had both positive and negative experiences in the host primary schools. The poor or lack of intervention programmes for children requiring help in the observed classes negatively influenced their school participation and effective integration. Further findings suggest that the lack of learning support from some of the parents of the refugee learners, as well as their socioeconomic circumstances negatively influenced children’s school experience and overall development.

This article sought to understand refugee children’s school access, integration, and participation in selected public primary schools in South Africa. This analysis was informed by Chemero’s re-conceptualisation of affordance theory (2006). The model explains affordances as in terms of relations between the abilities of the organisms and features of the environment (pg. 189)”. The theory of affordance was used to understand the interrelation between the organism (refugee children) and the features of the environment (the host country and the public primary schools). The analysis seeks to understand those factors in the refugee children’s immediate environment that supports and provides access to a positive and a meaningful learning and development. The findings suggest that the refugee children in host countries are exposed to equal enrolment opportunity into the public primary school except for those whose document were incomplete. The findings further suggest that in-spite of the provisions in the South African School Act of 1996, which promotes enrolment equity and prohibits the state from implementing admission requirements that supports discrimination of any sorts, some schools still ensure that refugee children without the required permits and birth certificates are given ultimatum to provide such document before their admission is completed.

The findings is consistent with previous findings where poor conditions of teaching and learning spaces and high teacher-learnersratio impacted negatively on children’s school readiness and overall school participation and integration [16, 17, 26]. Thus, this article argues that generally, in any context of development, children have varied learning interests and needs and abilities, as such, it is imperative that their learning needs and interests are taken into consideration in planning and implementing learning and play activities. Findings from the analysis were not aligned with Chemero’s affordance theory which suggest that for an organism to adjust to its immediate environment and appreciate what it offers, it must first understand, appraise, and relate some meaning to its affording qualities [46]. According to this theory, it is important that both the refugee children and the public primary school where children are enrolled are complimentary to one another. For children to benefit from holistic learning and development, it is necessary that the host school provides a conducive and sensitive learning environment that supports the resilience and promotes the learning and developmental needs of all children.

5. Conclusion

The exploratory study analyzed in this article recapitulate on refugee children’s school access, integration, and participation in public primary schools in South Africa. Equity in primary school access and quality provision for all children, including those from refugee families are imperative, as this constitutes an important foundation for their success in school (and beyond). This is also important in ensuring that, like all children in society, children from refugee background receive the care and support they need to reap positive educational outcome which constitute one of the major aspects of sustainable developmental goals for 2030.

Of major Significant is nature and quality of interactions children have with their educators (and others) in the teaching and learning spaces of the foundation phase. This is understood to impact on children’s leaning and overall development.

Thus, this theoretical paper argues that, for refugee children to effectively integrate and participate in school and succeed therein, quality interactions in the teaching and learning environment must be ensured. Children must be exposed to developmentally appropriate learning materials and teaching practices, including targeted interventions, in an environment that is conducive and stimulating with attention directed at individual learners needs and ability. This is necessary so that host countries can achieve the United Nation’s sustainable development goals, including, among others, providing quality education, ending poverty and hunger, reducing inequality, and ensuring well-being for all. Provision of access and quality primary school education for all children, including refugee children, will contribute to eradicating inequality and ensure that this group are givenafforded equal opportunity to educational, social and health programming that caters for their needs.

In-spite of the importance of equal and quality education in host countries, this analysis hassome limitations. In particular, the analysis focused on selected numbers of articles, book chapters and news paper articles that focus on refugee education and school participation in host countries. Although so much can be learned from the short exploration, more in-depth study and analysis are needed to unravel this topic across board. Such studies could address issues around the educational and developmental school-based interventions for refugee children in South Africa. Addressing this concern would go a long way towards developing curricula that is sensitive to the diverse needs of all children in the primary school and beyond.

Thus, we conclude that, to promote equal access and quality learning experience for refugee children in South Africa, there must be in place, an effective monitoring and supervision process that addresses the specific learning and developmental needs of refugee children and their families putting into consideration their past, present and ongoing experience. Proper implementation of the various legal frameworks that promotes the educational rights of the refugee population across schools, inclusive policies, training and re-training of teachers, stakeholder’s collaboration should be ensured. Effort should also be made to review school policies and departmental curriculum to suit the needs of children. These are some of the viable ways to support inclusiveness and provide a life-long learning experience that promotes and supports refugee children’s holistic development in their countries of residence and beyond.