Conflict-induced Refugee Crisis and its Consequences on Access to Primary Education: An Analysis of the case of Central African Republic (CAR) Refugee Children Living in the East Region of Cameroon

Abstract

Cameroon currently hosts around half a million refugees from conflict affected neighbouring countries such as Nigeria and the Central African Republic (CAR). This article focuses on the rights to basic education in terms of access and enrolment for CAR refugee school-aged children who reside in the East Region of Cameroon. Based on a qualitative research approach and a combination of secondary and primary data, powered by a theoretical framework of analysis that is informed by the Rational Choice Theory of human behaviour; International Relations Theory of forced migration and refugees and the Global Public Policy Theory of international problems, the study arrives at important findings and conclusions. The study finds out that the educational challenges of CAR refugee children are multifaced and complex. Many have traumatic experiences and disrupted education. Moreover, they are tasked with adapting to a new educational system and culture. These factors among others have all interacted and intermingled to negatively affect CAR refugee children’s access to primary education in terms of enrolment and girls are excessively more disadvantaged. With this outcome, the paper concludes that the issue of poor access to education of refugee children is not merely due to dysfunctional organs of governments or the combination of challenges unfolded in this article but it is also a result of the ‘exclusionary impulses’ vis-à-vis the phenomenon of ‘refugee as the stranger other’ in many parts of the world, and such a state of affairs no doubt works against inclusionary policies advanced in many international conventions and instruments that give more attention to the protection of these vulnerable groups; thereby consolidating the fact that there are ambiguities and critical limits to the international solidarity policy of Refugee Protection. Hence, as a way of contributing to evidence-informed policy alternatives, the paper argues that any action towards a sustainable solution must be rights-based, person and human security-centred and tailored towards addressing the dual challenge faced by the refugee child: the helplessness of being a child and the complex challenges of being a refugee.