A nineteen-year-old named Hani and a twenty-year-old named Hossam each aspire to one day run their own businesses.
However, they encounter more obstacles than many of their peers in achieving these aspirations.
This is due to Hani arriving in Northern Ireland as an asylum seeker from Kurdistan, similar to how Hossam arrived from Sudan.
Consequently, similar to other teenage asylum seekers who are considered older, they do not have guaranteed access to education or specialized support services.
Hani, Hossam, and several others have been involved in producing a report titled “Stranded Dreams,” which was unveiled at the Belfast City Hall.
Assembled by the Anaka Women’s Collective along with the Participation and the Practice of Rights (PPR) organization, this initiative demands a specialized educational program designed for individuals aged 16-24 who arrive in Northern Ireland seeking asylum or refugee status.
‘When I came here, I lost myself’
Hani arrived in Northern Ireland nearly three years ago.
The first thing I requested was education, along with studying and schooling,” she said to News NI.
At 16 years old, I was informed that they couldn’t accept me as a student.
She mentioned additionally, ‘I was genuinely let down.’
Even though Hani now speaks excellent English, her early inability to speak the language prevented her from enrolling in a Further Education (FE) college.
At present
It is up to certain community organizations such as the Anaka Women’s Collective to offer educational sessions for older teenagers who are seeking asylum.
.
Hani learned English from Anaka, but the delay in accessing education proved to be very frustrating.
“As young individuals like us, we aim to discover ourselves and chart our future,” Hani stated.
“But when I came here, I lost myself.
The footsteps ahead of me appeared hazy.
She stated, ‘We’re addressing this issue so that future generations won’t encounter the same difficulties I faced.’
She desires a particular program designed for individuals above 16 years old who wish to begin their studies.
Hani aspire to have a career in business and plans to pursue GCSEs, A-Levels, and attend university.
We require a specific proficiency in English.
Meanwhile, Hossam aims to merge a professional path in business with fashion design and aspires to enroll in university.
Since coming to Belfast as an asylum seeker along with his twin brother Wyassum in January 2024, he hasn’t returned to school.
They arrived to be with their mother, who had relocated to Northern Ireland as an asylum seeker.
The boys in Sudan had completed their secondary education.
Hossam communicated with News NI via a translator, yet he strongly desires to master English.
“So far, we’ve been here for one and a half years and haven’t come across any formal education options,” he shared with News NI.
I studied in Arabic in Sudan, and since we don’t speak English, we struggled to find somewhere to learn the language.
I myself along with my sibling aspire to attend university; however, achieving our goal requires reaching a specific standard of English proficiency.
‘The requirement for focused educational initiatives’
Other regions within the UK offer specialized educational initiatives for asylum seekers aged 16 and above, providing them with comprehensive instruction in English as well as various other subjects on a full-time basis.
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.
While this could happen in school, it is more probable that it occurs at their nearby further education college, particularly if they have recently moved to the area.
In Northern Ireland, the Education Minister Paul Givan has unveiled plans to make it
mandatory for youths to remain in schooling or vocational training up to the age of 18
.
This might imply that educational support would also extend to young asylum seekers and refugees until they reach 18 years old.
However, the Stranded Dreams report indicated that they required specialized educational programs.
Morgan Mattingly from Queen’s University of Belfast (QUB) stated that there is a significant requirement for additional English language support, particularly.
She mentioned that the legal obligation for education presently lasts only until the end of the year when you reach 16 years old.
Nevertheless, even prior to reaching the age of 16, numerous obstacles can hinder young individuals from obtaining an education.
“When a 16-year-old arrives, they are immediately turned away,” she mentioned additionally.
Despite their strong desire to attend school and learn, their choices are extremely constrained.
Since they lack educational opportunities, they cannot pursue advanced studies, which consequently leads to further repercussions.
dedicated full-time programs should be created specifically for these age groups.
She informed News NI about their existing knowledge and capabilities, emphasizing that support in the English language is necessary as they study other fundamental subjects.
The Stranded Dreams report advocates for focused assistance in areas such as English along with core subjects like Math, Science, and others.
At first, it requires the Northern Ireland Executive to establish a trial program at the beginning of the 2026/27 school year.
‘Education is a priority’
Catherine Gladwell, the Chief Executive of Refugee Education UK, stated that education takes top precedence for young refugees who arrive in the United Kingdom.
“Although displaced children and young individuals possess the entitlement to receive high-quality education, numerous newcomers to the UK’s educational framework find themselves without schooling for extended durations upon their arrival,” she stated.
The disparities between England and Northern Ireland highlight that the government presently lacks an overall plan to tackle this problem.
However, Refugee Education UK thinks this issue must be tackled, offering advantages not only to individual children and young people but also supporting bipartisan initiatives aimed at reducing inequalities via improved education outcomes.
A representative from the Department of Education stated that they are “actively seeking input on potential legislation aimed at ensuring every learner continues their participation in education, an apprenticeship, or vocational training up until the age of 18.”
We recognize that certain groups of young individuals, such as newcomers, need extra assistance. In the coming years, we will collaborate with policymakers from various departments to examine the impacts of this legislation before and after it is implemented.
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