Research Article
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Year 2016, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 53 - 60, 15.04.2016
https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.5.2.53

Abstract

With the break of the civil war in Syria, many Syrians have been displaced either internally or as refugees. Turkey, one of the leading host of Syrian refugees, has made changes to the policies to accommodate the needs of Syrians. Education is one of the most prominent needs of displaced refugee children. While 80 percent of refugee children living in camps have access to formal education, only small number of children living outside the camps are attending schools. With the increased number of children, many of the governmental organizations, municipalities, and NGOs have been involved in an effort to establish schools for Syrian refugee children living outside of the camps. This article reports the results of a study conducted at a newly established host community school for Syrian refugee children in the City of Gaziantep during the 2014-2015 school year. The aim of the study was to look at the experiences of administrators, teachers, and a parent who were involved in the establishment of the schools. The study made use of qualitative case study methodology, where interviews, focus group, and field notes were the data sources. The results of the study indicated that there were many systematic challenges involved in the establishment of the school, but nevertheless the teachers, administrators and the parents were happy to have the opportunity to be involved in this effort. The curriculum used in the school provided cultural relevance for the students and made their transition to the context easier. Although the school was established with support from the municipality for that year, there were not solid plans in place to provide sustainability of the school. This study provides a unique insight into the current status of Syrian refugee children living in Turkey and should serve as a bridge to policy makers in designing educational programs for refugees.

References

  • Ahmadzadeh, H.; Corabatir, M.; Hashem, L.; Al Husseini, J.; and Wahby, S. (2014). Ensuring quality education for young refugees from Syria (12–25 years):A mapping exercise. Refugee Studies Centre: University of Oxford. Retrieved on April 8, 2016 from: http://www.rsc.ox.ac.uk/files/publications/other/r r-syria-youth-education-2014.pdf
  • Apple, M. W. (1995). Education and power (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge.
  • Apple, M. W. (2004). Ideology and curriculum (3rd ed.). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
  • Can, N. (2009). The leadership behaviors of teachers in primary schools in Turkey. Education, 129(3), 436- 447.
  • Finkel, A. (2012). What’s 4+4+4? The New York Times, March 23, 2012.
  • Fontana, A., & Frey, J. H. (2005). Interviewing the art of science. In Denzin, N. K. & Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds.), Handbook of Qualitative Research (pp. 361-376). California: Sage Publications.
  • Freire, P.(1996). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: Continuum. Giroux, H. A. (1995). The politics of insurgent multiculturalism in the era of the Los Angeles uprisings. In B. Kanpol & P. McLaren (Eds.), Cultural multiculturalism: Uncommon voices in a common struggle (pp. 107–124). London: Bergin and Garvey.
  • Hos, R. (2014). Caring is not enough: Teachers’ Enactment of Ethical Care for Adolescent Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE) in a Newcomer Classroom. Education and Urban Society. Online first May, 2014.
  • Human Rights Watch (2015). “When I Picture My Future, I See Nothing” Barriers to Education for Syrian Refugee Children in Turkey. Report retrieved on April 10, 2016 from:https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/rep ort_pdf/turkey1115_reportcover_web.pdf
  • Icduygu, A. (2014). Syrian Refugees in Turkey: The Long Road Ahead. Transatlantic Council on Migration. Washington D.C.: Migration Policy Institute (MPI).
  • Jalbout, M. (2015). Partnering for a Better Future: Ensuring Educational Opportunity for All Syrian Refugee Children and Youth in Turkey. Their World. Report accessed on April 10, 2016 from: http://www.aworldatschool.org/page/- /uploads/Reports/Theirworld%20- %20Educational%20Opportunity%20for%20Syria n%20Children%20and%20Youth%20in%20Turke y%202015_09_10%20Release.pdf?nocdn=1
  • Ladson-Billings, G. (1994). The Dreamkeepers: Successful teachers of African American children. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
  • Merriam, S. B. (2002). Qualitative Research in Practice: Examples for Discussion and Analysis. (S. B. Merriam, Ed.) (1st ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Inc.,U.S.
  • Nebehay, S. (2015). Syrians Largest Refugee Group After Palestinians: U.N. Retrieved January 7, 2015 from: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/0 7/us-mideast-crisis-syria-refugeesidUSKBN0KG0AZ20150107.
  • Olsen, L. (2006). Ensuring academic success for English language learners. University of California Linguistic Minority Research Institute, 15(4), 1–7.
  • Sinclair, M. (2007). Education in Emergencies. Commonwealth Education Partnerships. Retrieved March 15, 2016 from http://www.cedol.org/wpcontent/uploads/2012/02/52-56-2007.pdf
  • Stake, R. E. (1994). The Art of Case Study Research: Perspectives on Practice. Thousand Oaks, Calif. [u.a.]: Sage Publications.
  • Turkiye Ucuncu Sektor Vakfi (TUSEV) (2015). Uye Etkinligi Suri̇yeli Multecilerin Durumu (The Status of the Syrian Refugees). Retrieved on April 1, 2016 from: http://www.tusev.org.tr/usrfiles/files/Suriyeli_Mul tecilerin_Durumu_Toplanti_Notlari_.pdf
  • UNICEF (2015). Curriculum, Accreditation and Certification for Syrian Children in Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egyp: Regional Study. Retrieved April 1, 2016 from http://www.ooscimena.org/uploads/1/wysiwyg/150527_CAC_for_Sy rian_children_report_final.pdf
  • United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees(UNHCR) (2015). ‘Registration Data’, Syria Regional Refugee Response: Inter-agency Information Sharing Portal’, retrieved September 26, 2016 from: http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/ regional.php
  • UNHCR (2015a). Turkey Monthly Update – June: Education. 3RP Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan 2015-2016. Geneva: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
  • Yildirim, A. & Simsek, H. (2013). Sosyal Bilimlerde Nitel Arastirma Yöntemleri. Ankara: Seckin.

Education in Emergencies: Case of a Community School for Syrian Refugees

Year 2016, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 53 - 60, 15.04.2016
https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.5.2.53

Abstract

With the break of the civil war in Syria, many Syrians have been displaced either internally or as refugees. Turkey, one of the leading host of Syrian refugees, has made changes to the policies to accommodate the needs of Syrians. Education is one of the most prominent needs of displaced refugee children. While 80 percent of refugee children living in camps have access to formal education, only small number of children living outside the camps are attending schools. With the increased number of children, many of the governmental organizations, municipalities, and NGOs have been involved in an effort to establish schools for Syrian refugee children living outside of the camps. This article reports the results of a study conducted at a newly established host community school for Syrian refugee children in the City of Gaziantep during the 2014-2015 school year. The aim of the study was to look at the experiences of administrators, teachers, and a parent who were involved in the establishment of the schools. The study made use of qualitative case study methodology, where interviews, focus group, and field notes were the data sources. The results of the study indicated that there were many systematic challenges involved in the establishment of the school, but nevertheless the teachers, administrators and the parents were happy to have the opportunity to be involved in this effort. The curriculum used in the school provided cultural relevance for the students and made their transition to the context easier. Although the school was established with support from the municipality for that year, there were not solid plans in place to provide sustainability of the school. This study provides a unique insight into the current status of Syrian refugee children living in Turkey and should serve as a bridge to policy makers in designing educational programs for refugees.

References

  • Ahmadzadeh, H.; Corabatir, M.; Hashem, L.; Al Husseini, J.; and Wahby, S. (2014). Ensuring quality education for young refugees from Syria (12–25 years):A mapping exercise. Refugee Studies Centre: University of Oxford. Retrieved on April 8, 2016 from: http://www.rsc.ox.ac.uk/files/publications/other/r r-syria-youth-education-2014.pdf
  • Apple, M. W. (1995). Education and power (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge.
  • Apple, M. W. (2004). Ideology and curriculum (3rd ed.). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
  • Can, N. (2009). The leadership behaviors of teachers in primary schools in Turkey. Education, 129(3), 436- 447.
  • Finkel, A. (2012). What’s 4+4+4? The New York Times, March 23, 2012.
  • Fontana, A., & Frey, J. H. (2005). Interviewing the art of science. In Denzin, N. K. & Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds.), Handbook of Qualitative Research (pp. 361-376). California: Sage Publications.
  • Freire, P.(1996). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: Continuum. Giroux, H. A. (1995). The politics of insurgent multiculturalism in the era of the Los Angeles uprisings. In B. Kanpol & P. McLaren (Eds.), Cultural multiculturalism: Uncommon voices in a common struggle (pp. 107–124). London: Bergin and Garvey.
  • Hos, R. (2014). Caring is not enough: Teachers’ Enactment of Ethical Care for Adolescent Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE) in a Newcomer Classroom. Education and Urban Society. Online first May, 2014.
  • Human Rights Watch (2015). “When I Picture My Future, I See Nothing” Barriers to Education for Syrian Refugee Children in Turkey. Report retrieved on April 10, 2016 from:https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/rep ort_pdf/turkey1115_reportcover_web.pdf
  • Icduygu, A. (2014). Syrian Refugees in Turkey: The Long Road Ahead. Transatlantic Council on Migration. Washington D.C.: Migration Policy Institute (MPI).
  • Jalbout, M. (2015). Partnering for a Better Future: Ensuring Educational Opportunity for All Syrian Refugee Children and Youth in Turkey. Their World. Report accessed on April 10, 2016 from: http://www.aworldatschool.org/page/- /uploads/Reports/Theirworld%20- %20Educational%20Opportunity%20for%20Syria n%20Children%20and%20Youth%20in%20Turke y%202015_09_10%20Release.pdf?nocdn=1
  • Ladson-Billings, G. (1994). The Dreamkeepers: Successful teachers of African American children. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
  • Merriam, S. B. (2002). Qualitative Research in Practice: Examples for Discussion and Analysis. (S. B. Merriam, Ed.) (1st ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Inc.,U.S.
  • Nebehay, S. (2015). Syrians Largest Refugee Group After Palestinians: U.N. Retrieved January 7, 2015 from: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/0 7/us-mideast-crisis-syria-refugeesidUSKBN0KG0AZ20150107.
  • Olsen, L. (2006). Ensuring academic success for English language learners. University of California Linguistic Minority Research Institute, 15(4), 1–7.
  • Sinclair, M. (2007). Education in Emergencies. Commonwealth Education Partnerships. Retrieved March 15, 2016 from http://www.cedol.org/wpcontent/uploads/2012/02/52-56-2007.pdf
  • Stake, R. E. (1994). The Art of Case Study Research: Perspectives on Practice. Thousand Oaks, Calif. [u.a.]: Sage Publications.
  • Turkiye Ucuncu Sektor Vakfi (TUSEV) (2015). Uye Etkinligi Suri̇yeli Multecilerin Durumu (The Status of the Syrian Refugees). Retrieved on April 1, 2016 from: http://www.tusev.org.tr/usrfiles/files/Suriyeli_Mul tecilerin_Durumu_Toplanti_Notlari_.pdf
  • UNICEF (2015). Curriculum, Accreditation and Certification for Syrian Children in Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egyp: Regional Study. Retrieved April 1, 2016 from http://www.ooscimena.org/uploads/1/wysiwyg/150527_CAC_for_Sy rian_children_report_final.pdf
  • United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees(UNHCR) (2015). ‘Registration Data’, Syria Regional Refugee Response: Inter-agency Information Sharing Portal’, retrieved September 26, 2016 from: http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/ regional.php
  • UNHCR (2015a). Turkey Monthly Update – June: Education. 3RP Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan 2015-2016. Geneva: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
  • Yildirim, A. & Simsek, H. (2013). Sosyal Bilimlerde Nitel Arastirma Yöntemleri. Ankara: Seckin.
There are 22 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Studies on Education
Other ID JA87KY25DJ
Journal Section Research Article
Authors

Rabia Hos This is me

Publication Date April 15, 2016
Published in Issue Year 2016 Volume: 5 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Hos, R. (2016). Education in Emergencies: Case of a Community School for Syrian Refugees. European Journal of Educational Research, 5(2), 53-60. https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.5.2.53
AMA Hos R. Education in Emergencies: Case of a Community School for Syrian Refugees. eujer. April 2016;5(2):53-60. doi:10.12973/eu-jer.5.2.53
Chicago Hos, Rabia. “Education in Emergencies: Case of a Community School for Syrian Refugees”. European Journal of Educational Research 5, no. 2 (April 2016): 53-60. https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.5.2.53.
EndNote Hos R (April 1, 2016) Education in Emergencies: Case of a Community School for Syrian Refugees. European Journal of Educational Research 5 2 53–60.
IEEE R. Hos, “Education in Emergencies: Case of a Community School for Syrian Refugees”, eujer, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 53–60, 2016, doi: 10.12973/eu-jer.5.2.53.
ISNAD Hos, Rabia. “Education in Emergencies: Case of a Community School for Syrian Refugees”. European Journal of Educational Research 5/2 (April 2016), 53-60. https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.5.2.53.
JAMA Hos R. Education in Emergencies: Case of a Community School for Syrian Refugees. eujer. 2016;5:53–60.
MLA Hos, Rabia. “Education in Emergencies: Case of a Community School for Syrian Refugees”. European Journal of Educational Research, vol. 5, no. 2, 2016, pp. 53-60, doi:10.12973/eu-jer.5.2.53.
Vancouver Hos R. Education in Emergencies: Case of a Community School for Syrian Refugees. eujer. 2016;5(2):53-60.