Asylum seekers’ higher education intentions have been boosted by Australia’s refugee policy based on its two-track education structure.
Notably, offshore processing happens and those’ deemed refugees upon their arrival in Australia, are offered fee support at the university level.
Nevertheless, asylum seeker’s higher education prospects for those considered illegal entrants are jeopardized as they can only have temporary visas. It, therefore, means that their quest for a university degree has to be fully paid. As a result, most of them face shattered dreams in their higher education prospects.
Asylum seekers’ higher education
Asylum seekers’ higher education hindrances
Some of the policies put in place have hindered asylum seekers’ higher education. For instance, the political narrative that depicts boat arrivals as illegal has jeopardized fairness in the higher education sector.
It has been stipulated that changing this narrative is difficult because considerable communal support is necessitated.
Nevertheless, efforts are being made by various groups, such as the Asylum Seeker Resource Center, whereby the public is being trained on how to speak positively about individuals who escape harm. This is as compared to arguing about their legality in their quest for asylum.
The notion being presented by the Asylum Seeker Resource Center is that seeking asylum should not be deemed illegal.
Asylum seekers’ higher education chances
Education is usually threatened for learners in conflict situations, as well as whenever they are escaping disasters, such as ethnic persecution or war.
Children entering Australia by boat usually experience longer periods seeking asylum. Additionally, education disruption becomes inevitable whenever they are in detention centers.
As a result, asylum seekers’ higher education quest is threatened because of the lack of adequate resources of teaching staff.
Additionally, Australia does not have a specific law outlining how long children can be held in detention and this can endanger their education prospects.
On the other hand, it has been revealed that as the war continues in Syria, children’s learning has been substantially affected. Notably, war has destroyed most of the school buildings and those that have been retained are used as a refugee center for those affected.
