What is the initiative and where is it implemented (city or country, for example)?
The initiative of accepting all Afghan children, regardless of documentation and legal status, to schools has been active in Iran since 2016. According to the decree issued in 2015, all Afghan children have the right to study side by side with Iranian citizens at a school level, getting both primary and secondary education (NRC, 2017).
How was the initiative established? How was it implemented?
On 17 May 2015, the government of Iran publicized the decree of the Supreme Leader, stating that no Afghan child shall be left without access to proper education. The new directive was ratified in April 2016 by the Council of Ministers. According to the new directive, all Afghan children were granted the right to enter primary and secondary schools and receive a secondary school diploma; all Afghan children could be accepted into all schools, regular or outstanding, including schools dedicated to martyrs and war veterans; undocumented Afghan children were to receive a special education support card, which protected them and their families from deportation; moreover, NGOs’ involvement in the process was recognized and acknowledged. After receiving the documents, previously undocumented children were provided with healthcare, including screenings and immunization (NRC, 2017).
Which stakeholders are involved in the design and/or implementation of the initiative? Which sectors do they represent?
The stakeholders involved in the design and implementation of the initiative include public and private sector organizations:
- the Iranian government, represented by the Internal Ministry and the Ministry of Education;
- public schools, including outstanding schools and schools dedicated to martyrs and military veterans, their administrative and academic staff;
- non-governmental organizations actively engaged in continuous negotiations to ensure successful implementation of the directive;
- UNHCR, which has co-funded construction of new school buildings
And, of course, the citizens of Iran and Afghan refugees (NRC, 2017).
What are the impacts of the initiative in terms of facilitating lifelong learning? Whom does it benefit and how?
In terms of facilitating lifelong learning, there are certain benefits and challenges to the initiative. Figures show a steady increase in the number of Afghan children enrolled in schools for the 2019/2020 academic year. In 2019, 60,000 new places were created for Afghan students in Iranian schools, resulting in approximately 480,000 refugees, including 130,000 undocumented children, studying alongside their Iranian peers. It was planned to further increase the number of Afghan school students in 2021 to 500,000 (UNHCR, 2020).
In 2019, a dozen school buildings for refugees and Iranians, costing US $650,000 each, were co-funded by the government and UNHCR. However, further funding has become difficult due to the increasing costs of construction (UNHCR, 2019).
Due to the lack of budget, the schools collect contribution fees from all students, which poses an additional financial burden on refugee families. Although there is no fee for school education, the cost of school supplies and uniforms is sometimes unbearable, which prevents students from getting education.
Although the government and NGOs are working to provide access to primary and secondary education, Afghan children are still deprived of preschool education, which results in gaps in their knowledge compared to Iranian students. In addition, there is a shortage of vocational and technical trainings in secondary schools, and a shortage of teaching staff (NRC, 2017).
Christensen, B., 2016. Guests or trash? Iran’s precarious policies towards the Afghan refugees in the wake of sanctions and regional wars. [PDF]Copenhagen, Danish Institute for International Studies. Available at: https://pure.diis.dk/ws/files/732765/DIIS_RP_2016_11_WEB.pdf [Accessed 28 May 2021].
NRC (Norwegian Refugee Council), 2017. Afghan Children’s Access to Education in Iran. What happened after the Supreme Leader’s decree? [PDF] Oslo, NRC. Available at: https://adsp.ngo/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/IR-15_Afghan-Children%E2%80%99s-Access-to-Education-in-Iran-What-happened-after-the-Supreme-Leader%E2%80%99s-Decree.pdf [Accessed 1 June 2021].
UNHCR, 2019. More support needed for refugee education in Iran. [Online] Available at: www.unhcr.org/news/briefing/2019/12/5dea18ac4/support-needed-refugee-education-iran.html [Accessed 1 June 2021].
UNHCR, 2020. UNHCR Global Focus. [Online] Available at: https://reporting.unhcr.org/node/2527?y=2020#year [Accessed 1 June 2021].