Education for All: The Case of Out-of-School Migrants in Ghana

Daniel Owusu Kyereko

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-21092-2_2

Abstract

Despite the high number of migrants involved in intra-West African migration, the work on education for marginalized groups pays little or no attention to the children of migrants. This study involving qualitative research into the factors keeping migrant children and youth out of school in Ghana is a step toward filling this gap. The research highlights the role that economic factors, the conflict between opposing value systems, the nature of migration, and the age at migration played in serving as barriers for out-of-school migrants. The findings mark an important starting point for considering educational access for migrants in Ghana and understanding the limitations that confront them.

Highlights

The world has witnessed significant progress toward increasing access to education for children of school-going age since the 1990 World Conference on Education in Jomtein
In a study of a third of migrants sampled from countries in the Global North, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (2009) found migrants without proper documentation stayed out of school
Education is compulsory in Ghana from ages 4 to 14, this study focused on migrant children from age 6 to 21, as it considered children of age 6 and above old enough to articulate their views and be active voices in the research

Summary

Introduction

The world has witnessed significant progress toward increasing access to education for children of school-going age since the 1990 World Conference on Education in Jomtein. Children in sub-Saharan Africa comprise a major portion of the out-of-school population, with children of migrants identified as being among the most vulnerable and most at risk of dropping out of school (Majgaard & Mingat, 2013; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization [UNESCO], 2010; UNESCO Institute for Statistics [UIS], 2017; UIS and Global Education Monitoring Report [GEMR], 2016). Migrants from within West Africa account for 68.3% of Ghana’s migrant population (Ghana Statistical Service, 2013). This immense increase in South-South migration impacts schooling in host countries and global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS). The major question the research seeks to answer is: What are the obstacles keeping migrant children and youth out of school in Ghana? The analysis is based primarily on interviews with migrant children, migrant parents, and school authorities (head teachers and teachers)

Literature Review

EDUCATION FOR ALL

Methodology

Findings

Conclusion