Since the beginning of the Syrian civil war, Turkey has taken responsibility for by far the largest number of refugees in the world over the past five years. Undoubtedly, hosting almost three million refugees has been neither logistically nor politically easy. This is why the success of sustainable migration policies is crucial in terms of the mutual adaptation of Syrians and the host community in Turkey. Therefore, educating refugees is the most important issue for reaching social agreement. Even though various regulations on education have been implemented in Turkey since 2012, it is hard to affirm the existence of any stable policies on this issue. This study discusses Turkey’s current education policies for Syrian children and sets forth the essentials needed to increase the number of Syrian children being educated and to upgrade educational facilities.

Syrian refugees , Crisis , Education , Public schools , GEMs

Anahtar Kelimeler

  • Further scientific research on Syrian refugees in Turkey should be encouraged.
  • It is also critical for local administrations to cooperate more with international institutions (UNICEF in particular) during their research in Turkey. Through cooperation, more solid data will be obtained.
  • In host countries apart from Turkey, more monitoring is needed on education and health services in particular.
  • Considering the wave of migration to Europe, international institutions should spend efforts in Germany and Canada with resuming educational activities that target refugees as in Turkey, because both countries have been exposed to a heavy influx of Syrian refugees.
  • Bilim Eğitim Kültür Araştırmaları Merkezi [Center for Research on Science, Education, and Culture]. (2015, December 3). Suriyeli misafirlere yönelik sosyal uyum ve eğitim müfredatları çalışmaları raporu [Report on social cohesion and curriculum studies related to Syrian guests]. Retrieved from http://bulbulzade.org/indirilebilir/bekam-mufredat-raporu.pdf
  • Directorate General of Migration Management. (2016). Geçici Koruma [Temporary protection]. Retrieved from http://www.goc.gov.tr/icerik6/gecici-koruma_363_378_4713_icerik
  • Directorate General of Migration Management. (2014). Geçici Koruma Yönetmeliği [Directive of Tempory Protection]. Retrieved from http://www.goc.gov.tr/files/files/20141022-15-1.pdf
  • Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency. (2015). Afet Raporu I Suriye [Disaster Report I Syria]. Retrieved from https://www.afad.gov.tr/tr/IcerikDetay1.aspx?ID=16&IcerikID=747
  • Erdoğan, M. (2015). Türkiye’deki Suriyeliler: Toplumsal kabul ve uyum [Syrians in Turkey: Social acceptance and compliance]. İstanbul, Turkey: Bilgi Yayınları.
  • Foundation for Political, Economic, and Social Research. (2016, July 1). Syrian children in Turkey. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/setavakfi/status/748973231923535872
  • Human Rights Watch. (2015, November). “Geleceğimi hayal etmeye çalıştığımda hiçbir şey göremiyorum” Türkiye’deki Suriyeli mülteci çocukların eğitime erişiminin önündeki engeller – Kayıp nesil olmalarını önlemek [“When I try to imagine my future I can’t see anything” Avoiding Syrian refugee childrens’ obstacles to accessing education to prevent being a lost generation]. Retrieved from https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/report_pdf/turkey1115tu_web.pdf
  • İstanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi. (2015). Suriyeli mülteci çocukların Türkiye devlet okullarındaki durumu politika ve uygulama önerileri [State policy and application recommendations for Syrian refugee children in Turkey’s public schools]. Retrıeved from http://www.cocukcalismalari.org/ wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Suriyeli-Cocuklar-EgitimSistemi-Politika-Notu.pdf
  • Jalbout, M. (2015). Partnering for a better future: Ensuring educational opportunity for all Syrian refugee children and youth in Turkey. London, UK: Theirworld. Retrieved from http:// www.aworldatschool.org/page/-/uploads/Reports/Theirworld%20-%20Educational%20 Opportunity%20for%20Syrian%20Children%20and%20Youth%20in%20Turkey%20 2015_09_10%20Release.pdf?nocdn=1
  • Kanat, K. B., & Üstün, K. (2015). Turkey’s Syrian refugees: Toward integration (Report No. 49). Retrieved from http://file.setav.org/Files/Pdf/20150428153844_turkey%E2%80%99s-syrian- refugees-pdf.pdf
  • Ministry of National Education. (2013a). Ülkemizde kamp dışında misafir edilen Suriye vatandaşlarına yönelik tedbirler [Measures for Syrian citizen-guests not in camps in Turkey]. Retrieved from http://melikgazi.meb.gov.tr/meb_iys_dosyalar/2013_05/03024558_suriye.pdf
  • Ministry of National Education. (2013b). Ülkemizde geçici koruma altında bulunan Suriye vatandaşlarına yönelik eğitim öğretim hizmetleri genelgesi [Circular on educational services for Syrian citizens under temporary protection in Turkey]. Retrieved from http://fethiye.meb.gov.tr/ meb_iys_dosyalar/2013_10/02093016_scannedimage24.pdf
  • Ministry of National Education. (2014). Education and Teaching Services for Foreigners. Retrieved from http://mevzuat.meb.gov.tr/html/yabyonegiogr_1/yabyonegiogr_1.html
  • Ministry of National Education. (2015). The MoNE Strategical Plan (2015-2019). Retrieved from http://sgb.meb.gov.tr/meb_iys_do syalar/2015_09/10052958_10.09.201 5sp17.15imzasz.pdf
  • Official Gazette of Turkey. (2016, January 15). Geçici koruma sağlanan yabancıların çalışma izinlerine dair yönetmelik [Regulations on work permits for foreignors provided temporary protection]. Decision No. 2016/8375. Retrieved from http://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/main. aspx?home=http://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2016/02/20160202.%20htm&main=http:// www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2016/02/20160202.htm
  • United Nations Childrens Fund. (2015a). Fact sheet on Syrian children in Turkey. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org.tr/files/bilgimerkezi/doc/T%C3%BCrkiyedeki%20Suriyeli%20%C3 %87ocuklar_Bilgi%20Notu%20Kas%C4%B1m%202015.pdf
  • United Nations Children’s Fund. (2015b). Middle East and North Africa out-of-school children initiative: Syria crisis education fact sheet. Retrieved from http://www.oosci-mena.org/ uploads/1/wysiwyg/150313_Syria_factsheet_English.pdf
  • United Nations Childrens Fund. (2015c). Curriculum, accreditation, and certification for Syrian children in Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt. Retrieved from http://www.oosci- mena.org/uploads/1/wysiwyg/150527_CAC_for_Syrian_ children_report_final.pdf
  • United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. (2015). Syria regional refugee response. Retrieved from http://data.unhcr.org:http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/country
     

Author