Teach Our Kids
As violence, economic disparity, acute food insecurity, and social unrest has evolved globally, there has followed an increase in the world’s refugees, most notably, the world’s refugee children. In 2019, there were a reported 26 million refugees globally, half of whom were less than 18 years old. We want to increase the quality of education that refugees receive throughout the continuum of resettlement.
The Situation at Hand:
While all children have a fundamental right to a quality education, the UN reported in August of 2019 that almost half of the world’s refugee children do not receive an education. Furthermore, only 24% of refugee children receive a secondary education. The reasons for which refugee children struggle for complete access to education is stratified among refugee groups, where one is resettling, and what support governments have or choose to offer. A refugee student may initially underperform academically, and a low performance can be traced back to the lack of support needed to carry this specific population through school.​
The average displacement time for refugees is around 10 years, which can be the core developmental years of education for many refugee children. Education is the most successful tool to lift people out of poverty; without an education in these crucial developmental years, many children are left behind. Without a focus on education for everyone as a basic human right, it can be nearly impossible for many children to make a better life for themself, especially when most come from countries in conflict.
The Benefits
For the Refugee
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Classrooms give children a safe space away from the traumatic circumstances of displacement where life skills can be cultivated in a way that isn’t directly tied to survival and refuge.
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Education allows the refugee student to feel ordinary when working and learning with other teens/children.
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Refugee education can allow for unique shared experiences with one another, and children who can learn safely while also sharing the identity and experience of seeking refuge.
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Education creates opportunities for better health, providing another set of caregivers through the teacher and school staffing.
For the Host Countries & Providers
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Education improves their chances at earning an income as adults and moving out of poverty. An educated refugee population can stimulate the economy.
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After ten years, refugees in the US moved from primarily blue collar to white collar positions. Nearly, a quarter Burmese refugees studied became administrators, doctors, lawyers, and engineers.
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The shift into white collar work shows how refugees invest in education and are also responsive to the changing labor demands of the economy.
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By providing them with the education needed, refugees can start productive lives in their host countries and quickly enter into self-sufficiency and economic contribution to society.