Report on Analysis for Out-of-school Syrian Children
Türkiye Country Report
- Türkçe
- English
Highlights
For the past six years, Türkiye has hosted the largest number of refugees globally. Of the over four million refugees and asylum-seekers in Türkiye, more than 3.6 million are from Syria, and over 1.7 million are children. Despite substantial challenges posed by the influx of refugees, the Government of Türkiye and many other social sector partners have made laudable efforts in the past decade to welcome, include, and integrate Syrian refugees into all aspects of Turkish society, including the education system.
As a result, Türkiye’s percentage of out-of-school children (OOSC) fell by nearly 30 per cent between 2014 and 2020. However, almost 400,000 refugee children remain out of school. While access to education continues to expand, the rate of progress has decreased in recent years. To understand why, UNICEF and the Ministry of National Education in Türkiye commissioned a mixed-methods study to complement efforts to include every refugee child in education. This exemplifies a strong partnership between policymakers, practitioners, and researchers to catalyse results for children through evidence-based action.
The importance of this research increases within the context of learning recovery in the COVID-19 pandemic FOREWORD and the most recent earthquakes in February 2023. Out-of-school or at-risk children could be particularly vulnerable to these different crises’ social and economic impacts, as they exacerbate the risks of exclusion and learning loss. The study used robust processes and rigorous analysis to derive OOSC’s profiles and analyse barriers that have led to their exclusion. The study includes good practices undertaken by various partners, identifies gaps in the current approaches to addressing these barriers, and provides policy recommendations to move forward effectively.
Thus, bold investments are required to ensure that the next generation of otherwise disadvantaged or vulnerable children begins on a stronger footing, finishes compulsory education, and more of them access higher education opportunities. These efforts will positively change children’s life trajectories and set them on a path towards breaking cycles of poverty and disadvantage. I hope this comprehensive document encourages collective action and efforts from all of us, underpinned by multi-sectoral synergies and actions to ensure quality, inclusive and sustained access to supportive services, especially education.
