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- Title
„ALLT SEM ÉG ÞRÁI": MENNTUN OG SKÓLAGANGA BARNA SEM LEITA ALÞJÓÐLEGRAR VERNDAR Á ÍSLANDI.
- Authors
GUÐMUNDSDÓTTIR, HELGA; GUNNLAUGSSON, GEIR; EINARSDÓTTIR, JÓNÍNA
- Abstract
Asylum-seeking children are not a homogenous group, neither in cultural background nor length of formal education. Some have had normal education in their country of origin while others have experienced intermittent or no prior education. For them, the school is a way to obtain education, to know other children, and learn a new language. Attention also needs to be paid to their parents as they, for various reasons, have the responsibility for the decision to seek asylum and now face new and challenging circumstances, including how to educate their children. According to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted into Icelandic law in 2013, children seeking asylum in Iceland have the right to attend school as other children at no cost. Since 2016, there has been a surge in the number of applications for asylum in Iceland, including families with children, as well as unaccompanied children. The aim of the study is to describe and analyze the experience of families with children who seek asylum in Iceland with regard to their education and school attendance. Applying qualitative research methodology, semi-structured interviews were held in May-December 2015 with 12 children (2-17 years) and 10 parents (25-60 years) who had sought asylum in Iceland. Three of the children had not started school at the time of the interviews. To facilitate the conversation, the children took own photographs to express themselves, made drawings, or used old ones. The participants were chosen through purposeful sampling, and included families who were waiting for the outcome of their application, had already gained refugee status, or had been granted humanitarian residence permit. Ethical permission was sought and given from indicated national authorities. Attending school gives asylum-seeking children and their families' stability and meaning in daily life. Education was also seen as an important means to a better future. Some of the children had to wait some time until they could start their education in Iceland, and found it difficult and depressing, because they had no social contacts with peers and nothing to do. For them the days were monotonous and drawn-out. The participants, both parents and children, were in general positive towards the Icelandic educational system, including the teachers, the students and the school facilities. In addition to learning, the children felt the school was important for them to have social interaction with other children and to make friends, learn Icelandic and the new culture, and be engaged in positive and meaningful activities. They could also rely on the teachers while going through the stressful process of asylum seeking. Parents expressed interest in being involved in their children's education and school activities while at the same time they and their children were dealing with trauma, difficult past experiences, and mental health problems. This affected the parents' ability to support their children, as well as their children's school work. The results of the study add evidence to the importance of school and education for children and families who seek asylum in Iceland. In line with the CRC and Icelandic law, asylum-seeking children should have access to normal education as soon as possible after arrival. Yet, many of them had to wait for weeks and even months before admission. In school, they need special attention without victimization and a subsequent risk of stigma. The parents are interested in becoming involved, but their participation is sometimes constrained because of language and cultural barriers. Teachers and other school employees need good support and clear guidance on how to improve their ability to meet the needs of asylum-seeking children and understand their stressful situation. It is urgent to formulate and implement a long-term policy regarding the education of children who seek asylum in Iceland.
- Publication
Icelandic Journal of Education / Timarit um Uppeldi og Menntun, 2018, Vol 27, Issue 1, p1
- ISSN
2298-8394
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.24270/tuuom.2018.27.1