EASNIE recently took part in a policy dialogue event in Brussels on refugee education. Entitled ‘Transforming Refugee Inclusion in Education’, the event in May was organised by SIRIUS Policy Network on Migrant Education and the Hub for Education for Refugees in Europe (HERE).
The two-day event brought together educators, researchers and representatives from international organisations to explore how to build education systems that are inclusive and responsive to the needs of displaced learners. The aim was to share good practices and shape more effective policies for refugee education across Europe.
During the event, several panel sessions took place on themes related to education for refugee learners. The panel on ‘Intersections of Disability and Displacement in Education’ involved representatives from EASNIE, HERE at the University of Nottingham, and the University of Luxembourg. They discussed the importance of systemic support for learners vulnerable to exclusion and highlighted the importance of embedding inclusive education into national policy frameworks. These frameworks must include policy for migrant and disabled learners, as well as all other learners that are vulnerable to exclusion.
A session on ‘Building Inclusive Education Systems – From Policy to Practice’ brought together voices from Eurochild, EASNIE and the Lifelong Learning Platform. This panel discussed the need for coherence between policy, governance, teacher professional learning and classroom implementation to ensure inclusive education. EASNIE representative Gareth Hughes outlined some of EASNIE’s work on turning policy into practice, such as tools for self-review, monitoring and evaluation.
The panel sessions highlighted teacher preparedness and professional development as key to including all learners in education. EASNIE’s Teacher Professional Learning for Inclusion and Supporting Inclusive School Leadership activities are useful resources for policy-makers and other stakeholders in ensuring inclusive teaching.
Throughout the event, one message stood out clearly: education is a fundamental right for all learners, regardless of their background.
Visit HERE for more information and resources related to refugee education in Europe.