Wait to enter education 'frustrating' for teenage asylum seekers
Nineteen-year old Hani and 20-year-old Hossam both dream of running their own business.But they face more hurdles than many other young people in fulfilling those dreams.That is because Hani came to Northern Ireland as an asylum seeker from Kurdistan, like Hossam from Sudan.As a result, like other older teenagers who are asylum seekers, there is no automatic access to education and specialised support for them.
Hani, Hossam and others have contributed to a report called Stranded Dreams, launched in Belfast City Hall.Put together by Anaka Women's Collective and the Participation and the Practice of Rights (PPR) organisation, it calls for a specialist education programme for those aged 16-24 who come to Northern Ireland as asylum seekers and refugees.
'When I came here, I lost myself'
Hani came to Northern Ireland almost three years ago."The first thing that I asked for was education and study and school," she told BBC News NI."They told me at the age of 16 they cannot take me as a student."I was really disappointed," she added.Although Hani speaks very good English now, her initial lack of English meant that she was unable to enter a Further Education (FE) College.At present it falls on some community organisations like Anaka Women's Collective to provide educational classes for older teenagers who are asylum seekers.It was through Anaka that Hani learned English, but the wait to enter education was frustrating."Young people like us, we want to find ourselves, we want to find our future," Hani said."But when I came here, I lost myself."My steps in front of me, all of them were blurry."We're working on this so the next generation don't face the same challenges I did," she said.She wants a specific programme for young people over 16 to be able to start to study.Hani has hopes of a career in business and wants to take GCSEs, A-Levels and go to university.
'We need a certain level of English'
Hossam, meanwhile, wants to combine a career in business with fashion design and also wants to attend university.He has been out of education since arriving in Belfast as an asylum seeker with his twin brother Wyassum in January 2024.They came to join their mother, who had come to Northern Ireland as a refugee.In Sudan, the boys had finished secondary school.Hossam spoke to BBC News NI through a translator, but he desperately wants to learn English."We have been here for a year and a half so far, and we couldn't find any formal education," he told BBC News NI."We studied in Arabic in Sudan and we don't speak English, and we couldn't find a place to study English."Myself and my brother want to go to university, but for us to go to university we need a certain level of English."
'A need for targeted education'
Some other parts of the UK have targeted education programmes for asylum seekers if they are over 16, teaching them English and other subjects full-time.In England for instance, asylum seeking young people are entitled to free education until the end of the academic year in which they turn 19.This may be in school but it is more likely to be at their local FE college, especially if they have recently arrived in the country.In Northern Ireland, the Education Minister Paul Givan has announced plans to make it compulsory for young people to stay in education or training until they are 18.That could mean education provision would also be provided for young asylum seekers and refugees up until the age of 18.But the Stranded Dreams report said there was a need for targeted education for them.
Morgan Mattingly from Queen's University of Belfast (QUB), said there was "an intense need" for English language support especially."The statutory responsibility for education currently only exists until the end of the year you turn 16," she said."However, even before you turn 16 there's quite a few barriers that prevent young people from accessing education."When a young person is aged 16 they're turned away outright," she added."Even though they desperately want to be in school, they want to be learning, their options are very limited."Because they can't access education, they can't access higher education and then that has a knock on effect."There needs to be full-time programmes that are specific to these age groups."They have such knowledge and capacity already," she told BBC News NI, adding that English language support while they learn other core subjects is needed.The Stranded Dreams report calls for targeted support with English, and Maths, Science and other subjects.Initially, it calls for the Northern Ireland Executive to have a pilot project in place for the start of the 2026/27 academic year.
'Education is a priority'
The Chief Executive of Refugee Education UK Catherine Gladwell said that for young refugees arriving in the UK "education is a priority.""While displaced children and young people have the right to access quality education, many who arrive in the UK late in the education system remain out of education for prolonged periods of time," she said."As the differences between England and Northern Ireland illustrate, there is currently no overarching strategy from the Government to address this issue.""But Refugee Education UK believes it can and should be addressed, benefiting both individual children and young people, and advancing cross party efforts to tackle inequality through educational attainment."A Department of Education spokesperson said that the department is "currently consulting on proposed legislation which will provide for all learners to participate in education, apprenticeship or training until age 18". "We are aware that there are particular cohorts of young people who require additional support including newcomer young people. Over the next few years, we will be working with policy leads across departments as we consider the implications of the legislation prior to and following its enactment."
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