Abdirizak Abdi, National Migrant and Refugee Education Co-ordinator Facilitating refugee communities’ effective engagement in education Presentation for National Refugee Resettlement Forum

Refugee background students Of the 750 annual quota, approximately are school aged. Afghan134 Bhutanese103 Chin 45 Colombian145 Congolese 51 Eritrean 25 Ethiopian100 Iraqi 72 Myanmarese/Burmese253 Nepalese 38 Somali 70 Sudanese 39 Major Ethnic Groups of Refugee Background Students over 2,750 refugee background students in the compulsory school sector 1, 325 are receiving ESOL funded support

Integrated Education Support Model Parents Well informed parents & communities Government Responsive policies and provision of resources Schools Welcoming and responsive schools Growing Diversity Religion Language Culture Education achievement Contexts Support provisionOutcomes

Information Provision: Refugee and migrant families engaged in education Goal Refugee and migrant families to have access to education information in order to engage effectively in their children’s education Objective Families are provided with quality educational information in languages and methods that will maximise access to the information provided

Well informed and engaged parents Empowering parents to become effective partners in their children’s education School based support School refugee coordinators Language and cultural brokers Recognition and celebration of diversity Ministry of Education Migrant and Refugee Education Co-ordinators To support effective liaison between students, families and communities and schools. Provision of Information Access to information in parent’s first language (see resource list)

Information for families and communities NCEA Workshop with refugee parents in Christchurch

Tertiary Education Engaging with Refugee Groups Ministry of Education

Engaging with Refugee Groups High level outcomes and strategy  Tertiary Education Strategy – consultation process Specific policy areas  Areas of policy work of particular relevance to Refugees

Tertiary Education Strategy (TES) The Government is required to issue a tertiary education strategy under section 159AA of the Education Act The TES must:  set out the Government’s long-term strategic direction for tertiary education (including economic, social, and environmental goals, and the development aspirations of Māori and other population groups)  set out the Government’s current and medium-term priorities  be consulted on - with both stakeholders in the tertiary education and the community.  TES : consulted on in 2013 and published in 2014

TES: Six Strategic Priorities The strategy’s six priorities:  Priority 1: Delivering skills for industry  Priority 2: Getting at-risk young people into a career  Priority 3: Boosting achievement of Māori and Pasifika  Priority 4: Improving adult literacy and numeracy  Priority 5: Strengthening research-based institutions  Priority 6: Growing international linkages. “These priorities identify particular aspects of the tertiary education system that the Government expects to see focused improvement in over the term of this strategy.”

Engaging with Refugee Groups  Refugee Education Reference Group (Government agencies and refugee stakeholders)  ESOL Provider group

Engaging with Refugee Groups Key areas where input has been sought:  Policy settings –ILN ESOL average hours (changed for 2014) –Time limits for ILN ESOL and Refugee English Fund (under consideration for 2015)  Allocation decisions –Reflects needs of communities and settlement patterns –ESOL stocktake