There are more than 2.7 million Syrian refugees living in Turkey (BMZ, 2016). Since more than half of Syrian refugees in Turkey are children (Yavcan & el Ghali, 2017), the high number of refugees is placing demands on public institutions. Several temporary systems for providing education are in place, but only a small part of children enrolled into educational programs attend regular schools. Providing access to education, therefore proves to be a major challenge for policy makers in Turkey. This report explores the situation in Eastern Turkey, with a focus on policies, which are contrasted with German integration policies and reference points from Berlin and Munich.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. BACKGROUND OF THE ISSUE
2.1 CONSEQUENCES OF THE SYRIAN WAR
2.2 THE CHALLENGE OF PROVIDING EDUCATION TO REFUGEE CHILDREN
3. EDUCATIONAL POLICIES
3.1 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
3.2 TURKEY
3.3 GERMANY
4. CASE STUDIES
4.1 THE SITUATION AT SCHOOL IN EASTERN TURKEY
4.2 INTEGRATION OF REFUGEES IN BERLIN, JENA AND MUNICH (GERMANY)
5. CONCLUSION AND PERSPECTIVES
6. SHORT BIOGRAPHY OF AUTHOR
Objectives and Research Themes
This paper examines the educational challenges faced by Syrian refugee children in Turkey, investigating the current policies and obstacles in the education system. By contrasting the situation in Eastern Turkey with German integration policies, the study aims to identify potential improvements for policy-making to ensure sustainable access to quality formal education for refugee children.
- Analysis of the current state of education for Syrian refugees in Turkey.
- Examination of policy-making frameworks and theoretical foundations.
- Comparative analysis between Turkish and German integration approaches.
- Investigation of socio-cultural and psychological barriers in school environments.
- Formulation of recommendations for sustainable educational policy improvement.
Excerpt from the Book
4.1 THE SITUATION AT SCHOOL IN EASTERN TURKEY
Qualitative studies have been done in the cities of Gaziantep (Yildiz-Nielson & Grey, 2013), Van (Seker & Sirkeci, 2015) and Mardin (Beltekin, 2016) An interview study with teachers from Van by Seker & Sirkeci (2015) will serve as an example to further employ the case for Syrian refugee students in Turkish public schools. Due to its geographical and socio-economical situation, the province of Van is influenced by internal and international migration flows. Refugee children, which have migrated to the area with their families often face trauma and conflict. These children do not only have to receive education, but go through a process of socio-cultural and psychological integration. Socio-cultural integration refers to learning of culture, behavioral adequacy and exchanges. Psychological integration refers to coping with the new environment, social support, solidarity and overall psychological wellbeing (cf. ibid).
Socio-cultural integration is measured by examinations of the level of understanding and speaking the local language. This helps with communication, making friends and engaging in social activities. Psychological integration focuses on overall belonging, life satisfaction and social support (ibid, p. 124). Psychological integration of refugee children improves their level of belonging, socio-cultural integration and academic success, while it declines with depression, anxiety, social exclusion and alienation (Oikonomidoy, 2010). For refugee children, school is a place where they receive the chance to integrate with the host society, while also being a place where they get stigmatized as foreigners, face discrimination and harassment due to their different heritage and language (Yamamoto, 2014, in ibid, p. 126). The interviews with teachers in Van mostly linked language abilities to success in school for refugee children (Seker & Sirkeci, 2015). This is called the micro-linguistic level (cf. Oikonomidoy 2010, p. 74), and includes comments as such: "He learned Turkish quickly and he was taking every opportunity to learn Turkish. Then he became more integrated with his peers and also succeeded in his classes.” (T5, in Seker & Sirkeci, 2015).
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: Provides an overview of the educational situation for Syrian refugees in Turkey and defines the research question regarding policy improvements.
2. BACKGROUND OF THE ISSUE: Details the impact of the Syrian civil war on Turkey and the specific challenges of providing education to a massive, displaced population.
3. EDUCATIONAL POLICIES: Explores the theoretical framework of policy-making and compares specific integration strategies and standards in Turkey and Germany.
4. CASE STUDIES: Analyzes qualitative findings from schools in Eastern Turkey and integrates experiences from German cities to highlight successes and ongoing barriers.
5. CONCLUSION AND PERSPECTIVES: Synthesizes the findings and advocates for a shift toward inclusive, formal education policies to better support refugee children.
6. SHORT BIOGRAPHY OF AUTHOR: Briefly introduces the author's background and her personal commitment to refugee support initiatives.
Keywords
Syrian refugees, Turkey, education policy, integration, formal schooling, socio-cultural integration, psychological integration, refugee children, language acquisition, policy-making, comparative analysis, Germany, educational challenges, social cohesion, sustainable solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper focuses on the educational challenges encountered by Syrian refugee children in Turkey and explores how policy-making can be improved to provide better access to formal schooling.
Which central topics are addressed?
Central topics include the consequences of the Syrian war, the distinction between formal and non-formal education systems, and the socio-cultural integration of refugee students.
What is the primary research goal?
The primary goal is to investigate current issues and identify opportunities for policy improvement in Turkey by contrasting its approach with German integration policies.
Which methodology is applied?
The study utilizes a small-scale, qualitative analysis, reviewing existing research, interview studies, and policy frameworks to derive evidence-based conclusions.
What does the main body cover?
It covers the theoretical background of policy-making, an analysis of the situation in Turkish schools, and a comparative study of integration practices in Germany.
What are the characterizing keywords?
Key terms include Syrian refugees, education policy, integration, formal schooling, and socio-cultural adaptation.
How does the situation in Van serve as a specific example?
The interviews with teachers in Van illustrate the importance of language proficiency for both socio-cultural and psychological integration in schools.
What is the main finding regarding German integration policies?
The paper finds that while Germany faces its own integration challenges, the approach of focusing on formal schooling and equality policies contributes positively to long-term integration success.
What recommendation does the author make for Turkey?
The author suggests a political shift toward formal, inclusive education and collaborative efforts between schools, teachers, and families to support refugee children effectively.
- Quote paper
- Lea Gathen (Author), 2019, Providing education to Syrian refugee children. An analysis of policies and the situation in Eastern Turkey in comparison to Germany, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/459320
