Abstract
Despite Thailand’s adoption of the Education for All policy in 2005, which grants all children, including refugees, access to free public education, refugee children largely remain excluded. Camp-based refugees attend informal, unrecognized education programs, while urban refugee children are categorised with migrant children in enrollment data. In 2023, only 34% of legal migrant children were enrolled in public schools, while refugees—often classified as "illegal migrants"—are either left out or attend unofficial community schools. This study examines the gap between policy and practice by exploring the experiences of urban refugees and perspectives of key stakeholders, including refugees, government agencies, and humanitarian organizations. Using an analytical framework, it investigates access to public education, service providers’ perceptions, and the implementation of inclusive education. The research employs a systematic literature review, focusing on three components: data collection from existing literature, analysis of educational barriers for urban refugees, and evaluation of policy implementation challenges. The findings highlight issues of political exclusion, policy misalignment, and practical obstacles in integrating refugees into formal education. By identifying tensions between education and refugee policies in Thailand, this study contributes to both academic research and policy discussions. It advocates for a comprehensive policy review to ensure refugees have access to formal, recognized education, aligning with Thailand’s commitment to Education for All.
Bahasa Abstract
Meskipun Thailand telah mengadopsi kebijakan Pendidikan untuk Semua pada tahun 2005, yang memberikan akses terhadap pendidikan umum gratis kepada semua anak, termasuk pengungsi, sebagian besar anak-anak pengungsi masih dikecualikan. Pengungsi yang tinggal di kamp mengikuti program pendidikan informal yang tidak diakui, sementara anak-anak pengungsi perkotaan dikategorikan sebagai anak-anak migran dalam data pendaftaran. Pada tahun 2023, hanya 34% anak-anak migran legal yang terdaftar di sekolah umum, sementara pengungsi—sering diklasifikasikan sebagai “migran ilegal”—ditinggalkan atau bersekolah di sekolah komunitas tidak resmi. Studi ini mengkaji kesenjangan antara kebijakan dan praktik dengan mengeksplorasi pengalaman pengungsi perkotaan dan perspektif pemangku kepentingan utama, termasuk pengungsi, lembaga pemerintah, dan organisasi kemanusiaan. Dengan menggunakan kerangka analitis, penelitian ini menyelidiki akses terhadap pendidikan publik, persepsi penyedia layanan, dan implementasi pendidikan inklusif. Penelitian ini menggunakan tinjauan literatur sistematis, dengan fokus pada tiga komponen: pengumpulan data dari literatur yang ada, analisis hambatan pendidikan bagi pengungsi perkotaan, dan evaluasi tantangan implementasi kebijakan. Temuan ini menyoroti isu-isu eksklusi politik, ketidakselarasan kebijakan, dan hambatan praktis dalam mengintegrasikan pengungsi ke dalam pendidikan formal. Dengan mengidentifikasi ketegangan antara pendidikan dan kebijakan pengungsi di Thailand, penelitian ini berkontribusi pada penelitian akademis dan diskusi kebijakan. Mereka menganjurkan peninjauan kebijakan yang komprehensif untuk memastikan pengungsi mempunyai akses terhadap pendidikan formal yang diakui, selaras dengan komitmen Thailand terhadap Pendidikan untuk Semua.
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Recommended Citation
KARIM, MST UMME HABIBA FAHMINA Dr.
(2024)
"Exclusion within Inclusive Education Policy: The Challenges Facing Urban Refugees in Accessing Education in Thailand,"
Indonesia Law Review: Vol. 14:
No.
3, Article 6.
Available at:
https://scholarhub.ui.ac.id/ilrev/vol14/iss3/6
