Right to an education? Children of migrant workers

Carolina Brill and Courtney Chow, IOM Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

Every child has the right to an education. According to Article 28, the Convention on The Rights of the Child (CRC) states parties should make “primary education compulsory and available free to all.” 193 countries have ratified the convention, including all countries in Asia-Pacific. Nevertheless, many children in the region still have no access to education.

Migrant children are one of the most vulnerable groups facing challenges in accessing education, and these challenges are often multiplied if parents are undocumented migrants. Children of undocumented parents are invisible and face added pressure and fears about revealing their parents’ irregular status.

Even with access to education, migrant children often feel discriminated against as they come from minority traditions and cultures (Austin, 2012). As newcomers, migrant children can be bullied due to their perceived “otherness” and due to prejudices against migrants based on existing stereotypes within the community.

Attending school in a hostile environment puts children of migrant workers at a disadvantage in terms of participating and achieving in education. In addition, at the institutional level there is a clear lack of teacher training and support for migrant children. Teachers are often unprepared to handle a situation where the student does not speak the native language and requires additional support and assistance to participate in class.

The influence of development aid has been instrumental in providing some education to migrant children in some countries. However, in the present global landscape, the education sector receives only 2% of humanitarian aid.

This said the provision of education should not be reliant on international assistance (Austin, 2012). Governments are key duty bearers and responsible for the protection of the rights of children. Currently, three countries in the Asia Pacific region (Australia, India and South Korea) have national responses that include frameworks to meet the needs of migrant children (UNESCO, 2012). The international community can assist migrant children by supporting ratification of conventions that ensure their access to education.

Migration can also have a positive impact on children through the use of remittances. Studies have shown that migrant parents who send remittances back to their families actually improve access to education for their children (UNICEF, 2010). Utilizing this money, children are able to afford an education as well as opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities.

Migration can be a conduit for educational advancement or hindrance. What is needed is the coordinated effort of actors to ensure the right of all children to education is actualized.

Edited by Jessica Aumann