The impact of post-primary education for refugees: evidence from Voices of Refugee Youth

• In Event: Refugee research on post-primary education: evidence and reflections from Voices of Refugee Youth, a longitudinal study in Rwanda and Pakistan

Proposal

This paper will present the findings of the Voices of Refugee Youth research study, which tracked a cohort of over 1,100 young refugees engaged in post-primary education in Pakistan and Rwanda between 2019-2022.

OVERVIEW

The study employed a mixed-methods design, including both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis. The methodology centred around the collection of a longitudinal panel survey which was repeated at three data points, separated by a gap of a minimum of six months. The survey asked participants questions related to their experience of and access to post-primary education, the impact of COVID-19 on refugee education, opportunities to transition from secondary or higher education to further study or employment, and factors influencing decision-making among refugee youth. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) with the same participant group and relevant additional stakeholders generated rich qualitative data to complement the survey.

The findings of the study indicate the positive impact of post-primary education for refugees and the high value attributed to education by the participants themselves. However, despite high aspiration to continue to higher education amongst secondary school students, the survey revealed that very few were able to achieve this goal, with the majority of participants reporting that they were not doing what they had planned after secondary school. Furthermore, the study revealed the contextualised nature of refugee experiences of post-primary education. In Pakistan, statistically significant differences emerged between male and female refugee experiences of education, while in Rwanda, disaggregation by nationality produced statistically significant differences.

CONTRIBUTION AND SIGNIFICANCE

The presentation will delve into these and other findings of the study, to provide a detailed picture of the opportunities and challenges afforded by refugees in these contexts. Recommendations, rooted in findings of the study, will also be discussed. As such, the presentation will provide the foundation for a wider discussion about how the sector can continue to build better evidence and improve decision-making for post-primary education for refugees.

Author

• Rebecca Daltry, Jigsaw Consult