The refugee status of young people made vulnerable by displacement does not remove their right to education. It does not exempt the host state from its responsibility to provide it either. The Convention on the Rights of the Child to education granted, the situation becomes rather tricky when it comes to utilizing the skills and qualifications of these refugees in developing countries and developed countries alike. In most refugee host countries that are plagued with unemployment, securing employment for refugees understandably so, poses a real moral dilemma. Perhaps this goes to explain why the invaluable skills and qualifications of urban refugees are not tapped by host communities. The priority for refugees and their hosts is to secure education, orientation and support that would ensure their self sufficiency in the short to medium term but also prepare them for longer term development when their home-word return eventuates. The refugees from Rwanda who lived and studied in Uganda used their skills and qualifications to fend for their families while in Uganda. Many of these former refugees, now back in Rwanda testify of the quality education that they obtained from Uganda and how this education is facilitating the phenomenon socioeconomic and political transformation of Rwanda.
I believe that more donor interest should be pursued particularly with private institutions that have a heavy bias towards providing educational scholarships. Many displaced persons particularly refugees are found in countries that are struggling to provide education to its own populace hence priority for refugee education is not high on the agenda of national governments. However, with increased targeted fundraising, support to refugees especially in secondary school and also for tertiary education may be increased especially when this is linked to development in the country of origin. In Kenya, many of the Sudanese who were here as refugees were able to be provided with educational opportunities and are now serving in various field in S. Sudan, both with NGOs and within local governments.
Etii on LinkedIn:
ReplyDeleteThe refugee status of young people made vulnerable by displacement does not remove their right to education. It does not exempt the host state from its responsibility to provide it either. The Convention on the Rights of the Child to education granted, the situation becomes rather tricky when it comes to utilizing the skills and qualifications of these refugees in developing countries and developed countries alike. In most refugee host countries that are plagued with unemployment, securing employment for refugees understandably so, poses a real moral dilemma. Perhaps this goes to explain why the invaluable skills and qualifications of urban refugees are not tapped by host communities. The priority for refugees and their hosts is to secure education, orientation and support that would ensure their self sufficiency in the short to medium term but also prepare them for longer term development when their home-word return eventuates. The refugees from Rwanda who lived and studied in Uganda used their skills and qualifications to fend for their families while in Uganda. Many of these former refugees, now back in Rwanda testify of the quality education that they obtained from Uganda and how this education is facilitating the phenomenon socioeconomic and political transformation of Rwanda.
Carmeline on LinkedIn:
ReplyDeleteI believe that more donor interest should be pursued particularly with private institutions that have a heavy bias towards providing educational scholarships. Many displaced persons particularly refugees are found in countries that are struggling to provide education to its own populace hence priority for refugee education is not high on the agenda of national governments. However, with increased targeted fundraising, support to refugees especially in secondary school and also for tertiary education may be increased especially when this is linked to development in the country of origin. In Kenya, many of the Sudanese who were here as refugees were able to be provided with educational opportunities and are now serving in various field in S. Sudan, both with NGOs and within local governments.