Enabling the capacities to act for migrant and refugee students: the Colombian case.

• In Event: Roundtable Group 6

Group Submission Type: Refereed Roundtable Session

Proposal

How can schools and communities enable migrant and refugee students' capacity to act? This question is more relevant today than ever, given that the number of migrants has increased over the past five decades, with an estimated 281 million international migrants worldwide, or 3.6% of the global population. Addressing the issue becomes even more critical if it is taken into account that up to 14.6% of international migrants are children, which amounts to 40.9 million children with educational needs in a country different from their birthplace.

The ongoing displacement of Venezuelans has had a significant impact on migration flows, ranking as the third-largest displacement situation worldwide and the largest within Latin America and the Caribbean. According to Response for Venezuela Platform, since February 2018 and as of June 2023, 7.3 million Venezuelans had fled their country, with 6.1 million of them moving to a country in Latin America and the Caribbean. Colombia has become the primary host nation, receiving over 2.5 million Venezuelans as of February 2022. Almost 28% of them are children.

In the frame of the mixed migratory flow Colombia has made significant efforts to enroll Venezuelan children in schools. There has been an increase of 1,635% in Venezuelan students between 2018 and 2023, soaring from 34,000 students to 590,000. In certain cities like Cúcuta, Venezuelan students represent a significant proportion, accounting for 20% of the total enrolled students. Guaranteeing access to education is paramount for migrant and refugee children, requiring collaborative efforts by national systems, local authorities, international cooperation agencies, schools, and teachers. By making necessary adjustments, these stakeholders can effectively harness education's potential to empower students' capacity to take action and foster their full integration into host communities.

Within this context, Colombia has implemented a Temporary Protection Status for Venezuelans (TPS), granting them a regular status in Colombia and access to public and private services. The TPS includes special provisions for students, guaranteeing their right to access to the TPS until 2031 regardless of when or how they arrived in Colombia: the only requirement for eligibility is enrollment. This exceptional measure has been implemented to safeguard the educational trajectories of Venezuelan students, allowing them to acquire a regular migratory status/documentation before high school completion. Consequently, they can obtain diplomas and pursue technical or higher education opportunities.

This panel aims to highlight crucial factors that should be considered to guarantee that education enables migrant and refugee students' capacity to act. While guaranteeing access is essential, there are other aspects to consider. These considerations will be discussed in the panel and include: (i) adapting public policies and implementing them in municipalities and schools, (ii) promoting effective coordination between international cooperation agencies and national/local systems, (iii) addressing and preventing xenophobia within schools, (iv) building the capacity and leadership of teachers and students to better address needs of migrant students, and (v) understanding dropout contributing factors for migrant students. In this panel, we discuss that these aspects should be taken into account to respond to crisis situations related to migratory flows, and thus, make education a tool to empower migrant students.

For this, the panel will have the contribution of the World Bank, Enseña por Colombia and Juntos Aprendemos, who are working in the intersection between education and migration. The World Bank will present Colombia’s main public policies on education and migration and some challenges that must be addressed for an effective inclusion of migrant students. Enseña por Colombia, will explain the importance of working with teachers to improve educational opportunities for migrant receptor communities. And finally, Juntos Aprendemos is going to present the essential factors that must be addressed to empower migrant and refugee students, beyond guaranteeing access to the education system.

Sub Unit

• Global Migration SIG

Organizer

• Nicolas Mantilla, Juntos Aprendemos - USAID

Chair

• Ana Florez, Teach For All

Individual Presentations

• Beyond acess: empowering migrant and refugee students - Nicolas Mantilla, Juntos Aprendemos - USAID

• Teachers: key actors in empowering migrant and refugee students - Ana Camila Medina Pulido, Enseña por Colombia

Discussants

• Sara M. Pan Algarra, Columbia University Teachers College

• Florencia Saffirio