Reimagining education for refugees post-pandemic – The European Sting – Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology

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This article was brought to you thanks to The European Sting’s collaboration with the World Economic Forum.

Author: Marie Penelope Nezurugo, Research and Analysis Specialist, World Economic Forum & Nellie Kamau, Incoming Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs Candidate, University of British Columbia

• Existing operational and logistical restrictions as well as the effects of the pandemic have made it difficult for refugees and asylum seekers to access education.
• World Refugee Day offers actors in the sector the opportunity to rethink educational approaches that guarantee permanent access for refugees.
• The forum’s YGL initiatives and institutions such as the World University Service of Canada and the MasterCard Foundation help refugees transition into higher education.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led directly to prolonged and unpredictable school programming with the closure of schools, universities, technical and vocational training institutions. Existing operational and logistical constraints combined with the effects of a global pandemic have made access to education even more difficult for refugees and asylum seekers. World Refugee Day on June 20 offers actors in the sector an ideal opportunity to rethink educational approaches that guarantee permanent access for refugee scientists in accordance with SDG 4 (Accessing Quality Education).

Prior to the pandemic, refugees had limited access to higher education opportunities with an access rate of 3% versus the global rate of 37%. Some of them come from:

• Regulatory environments that hinder registration;
• High educational costs;
• Limited knowledge of the language of instruction in the host community.

Bridging this gap is a global priority according to the Global Compact for Refugees, which advocates the inclusion of refugees in national education systems and promotes systemic planning in crises and protracted displacement. Given the heightened uncertainties from the developing pandemic and the restructuring of budget allocations, the access rate to higher education could fall from 3% to an all-time low. A multi-stakeholder framework for refugee aid is necessary to improve access to quality education for refugees and to open up better economic opportunities that improve their livelihoods.

Image: UNESCO Institute for Statistics

In the following you will find some highlights of some institutions and Young Global Leader Initiatives of the World Economic Forum that have consistently supported refugees during and after their university careers through innovative programs for students in their transition to higher education:

1. World University Service of Canada (WUSC)

WUSC works to create a world in which all young people can grow up, learn, work and participate in the development of their country in safe environments. His Student Refugee Program has helped over 2,000 young refugees advance their education in safe and supportive environments at universities across Canada since 1978.

For example, at McGill University, SRP fundraising is a 50 cents non-deregisterable fee set up in 1986 and collected from all undergraduate and graduate students. WUSC McGill said the SRP “gives two students the opportunity to study at McGill and receive an education that they would not otherwise have access to every year.” Subsequent referendums, most recently in 2021, increased the contribution to USD 4 / student / semester, which supports up to five incoming student refugees per year.

Reflecting on McGill’s leadership role in the impact of this program, McGill University Principal and Vice Chancellor Suzanne Fortier notes, “One of the core values ​​of McGill University is to provide access to quality education. Since the introduction of the World University Service of Canada Student Refugee Program at our university, 58 refugee students from all over the world have been able to continue their studies with us. This initiative is one of many others at McGill that opens doors to those facing unimaginable hurdles. If we get the chance, we know that there are no limits to what these students will achieve. “

2. MasterCard Foundation

The MasterCard Foundation has made a targeted effort to develop participatory curriculum approaches for refugees and displaced young people and recently introduced its refugee strategy as part of the Displaced and Refugee Youth Enabling Environment Mechanism (DREEM) project. DREEM will contribute to the foundation’s commitment to meaningfully include refugees and displaced young people in their Scholars and Young Africa Works projects. According to the MCF website, a recent study of bridging programs in Ethiopia, Nigeria, Uganda and Kenya that support access to higher education and employment opportunities for displaced youth, refugees and internally displaced persons will provide insights that will feed into the approach of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program on higher education opportunities for displaced youth. Through these strategic decisions, MCF is expected to exceed its commitment to provide 25% of its scholarships to refugees and displaced youth.

A beneficiary of the DREEM project for refugees and displaced persons developed by WUSC and MCF is Bior L. Ajak, a fellow of the Mastercard Foundation. “The Mastercard Foundation Scholarship was a life changing opportunity that came at a time when I was faced with great uncertainty and fear for my future. Refugees have no access to higher education in Kenya, except through scholarships. Most refugees cannot even afford secondary education. These barriers, among other things, contribute to the cycle of poverty among refugee communities. The Mastercard Foundation has been very conscious of their scholarship program and has had ongoing consultations with the scholars to make more impact. The MCF supports us beyond university by facilitating the transition to work and funding scientific initiatives that support local communities. I am honored to be one of the members of the youth council for this project that brings the refugee perspective into politics and socio-economic inclusion. “

3. A community of young global leaders

Major barriers to access to higher education include the UNHCR highlighted parallel educational institutions in refugee camps that are not managed by the government, resulting in less predictable, sustainable and often inferior services. To support community education and training in the Kakuma refugee camp, the World Economic Forum’s Kakuma Refugee Settlement Project (Kakuma Project) was founded in 2018 when a group of YGLs undertook an impact expedition to Kakuma – a learning journey that enabled them to better understand the urgent needs of the camp and the potential for action they could address through the power of collective networks.

In her role as Vice President of the International Publishers Association (IPA), YGL Bodour Al Qasimi heads the Africa Publishing Innovation Fund (APIF), which spends US $ 200,000 annually on African literacy projects. In 2020, the APIF donated $ 10,000 to a project called Exposing Hope, which is building a new library for secondary school students living in Kakuma. The Kakuma camp houses refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia and Uganda; and the fund will add to the annual efforts of other organizations that are working hard to keep the camp stocked with books and to allow young children, older students and teachers to keep up to date and learn about evolving topics and current knowledge to inform.

What is the World Economic Forum doing to improve children’s digital intelligence?

The latest figures show that 56% of 8 to 12 year olds in 29 countries are involved in at least one of the world’s biggest cyber risks: cyberbullying, video game addiction, online sexual behavior or meeting strangers online.

#DQEveryChild, an initiative to increase the digital intelligence quotient (DQ) of children aged 8 to 12, uses the forum’s platform to accelerate its work around the world and has reduced cyber risk exposure by 15%.

The DQ Global Standards Report 2019 was published in March 2019 – the first attempt to define a global standard for digital competence, competencies and readiness in the education and technology sector.

Our systems initiative to shape the future of media, information and entertainment has brought together key stakeholders to ensure better digital intelligence for children around the world. Find out more about DQ Citizenship in our Impact Story.

Breaking cycles of solid poverty

Today the world is experiencing record numbers of people displaced, largely due to political instability and the growing effects of climate change. This increasingly leaves a large part of the world population without the mechanisms for continuous access to education. Refugees are among the most vulnerable populations in the world and are often trapped in cycles of solid poverty.

For decades, universities have been developing programs that effectively reach and support refugees. Their student refugee programs send a strong signal on how to combine higher education opportunities and refugee resettlement, and are beginning – perhaps even more – to paint a picture of what a collective response to building quality education for refugees can be. A multi-stakeholder response framework is necessary to ensure this continuous delivery of quality education and to ensure that we heal, learn and shine.

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