The State of Refugee Education
In the third Lunch Time Seminar Series, members of the National Policy Alliance were joined by Dr. Sally Baker to explore the recently released State of Refugee Education in Australia report and what it means for improving outcomes for students from refugee backgrounds.
Insights from the seminar
In her seminar, Dr. Baker spoke about three of the key issues raised in the State of Refugee Education in Australia report: the ongoing invisibility of students from refugee backgrounds in education systems, the need for more refugee-informed and culturally responsive practice, and the importance of national reform. The discussion also explored how the National Policy Alliance can contribute to advocating for these recommendations and driving systemic change across the sector.
1. How refugee students are too often invisible in the education system
Dr. Baker spoke about the way refugee learners can “fall through gaps” in Australian education because they are not consistently recognised in policy or treated as a clearly identified equity cohort. Without this recognition, students from refugee backgrounds risk being overlooked across all stages of education from early childhood to higher education.
2. The need for better understanding and practice across the sector
A second theme highlighted during the seminar was the importance of deeper understanding of forced migration and language development. The report connects gaps in understanding to ongoing educational disadvantage, and calls for more professional learning so educators can adopt refugee-informed, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive approaches.
3. The need for national reform and the role of advocacy
Dr. Sally Baker also spoke about the need for structural, system-wide reform, including a unified national refugee education framework and better data collection to track outcomes. Building on this, we discussed how the National Policy Alliance can play an important role in advocating for these recommendations, working collectively across organisations to support recognition of refugees as an equity cohort, influence policy development, and help ensure these reforms translate into meaningful change on the ground.
Resources from this seminar
The State of Refugee Education in Australia
The State of Refugee Education in Australia report provides insights into the challenges and opportunities for people from refugee backgrounds face in accessing education in Australia. This report uncovers patterns of disadvantage that result from non-recognition in educational policy, poor understandings of forced migration and language development, and minimal data gathering to assess participation and performance.