Broadhead, S. (2012) Access to Education for Children: A Case Study of Urban Refugee and Asylum-Seekers in Bangkok

Title: Access to Education for Children: A Case Study of Urban Refugee and Asylum-Seekers in Bangkok

Author: Sharonne Broadhead

Year: 2012

Keywords: URBAN REFUGEE / URBAN ASYLUM-SEEKER / ACCESS TO EDUCATION / IMMIGRATION LAW / BANGKOK

Download PDF of Abstract: English Thai

Abstract:

Urban refugees now make up almost half of the world's total refugee population. Formal education for the children of refugee and asylum-seeker families might often be delayed due to their situation. Barriers can arise in any country but in Thailand barriers to accessing education also include the threat of arrest and detention. The purpose of this study is to determine the key factors that limit access to education for the children of urban asylum-seekers and refugees in Bangkok. The primary findings of the study are: (i) The majority of the school aged refugees and asylum-seekers studied do have access to education; but more than half receive education far below national standards. This can only be considered informal rather than formal schooling that would be recognized as fulfilling basic education requirements. (ii) The threat of arrest and detention resulting from illegal status does disrupt access to education creating a gap in consistency, but does not completely restrict access in the long term. (iii) The current strategy to enroll urban refugee and asylum-seeker children in Thai public schools appears to be the best option given the challenges of the situation, although language barriers are encountered which causes a further gap in education. The resulting gaps combined cause substantial disruption in the education of these children.

Contact MAIDS-Chula for more information and full thesis at maidschula@gmail.com

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CAMBODIA CASE STUDY CHIN CIVIL SOCIETY COASTAL GOVERNANCE COMMUNITY COMMUNITY FISHERIES CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY DECENTRALIZATION DESECURITIZATION DEVELOPMENT EX-KMT REFUGEES FRONTIER GOVERNANCE FACTORS HUMAN RIGHTS HUMAN SECURITY HUMAN TRAFFICKING ICM IMPLEMENTATION INTEGRATED COASTAL MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL-TRANSFORMATION LIVELIHOOD MIGRATION MYANMAR NETWORK THEORY NORTHERN THAILAND POLICY DEBATE POST COLD WAR ASIA POVERTY REDUCTION REINTEGRATION RESISTANCE RIGHTS-BASED APPROACH SEASONAL LABOUR MIGRATION SECURITIZATION SOCIAL MOVEMENT SPEECH ACT SUSTAINABLE COASTAL DEVELOPMENT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TAK PROVINCE THAI BERRY PICKERS THAILAND THAINESS TONLE SAP LAK UDD UNITY