Female refugees’ perception of children education at za’atari camp-jordan

Abstract

Despite the establishment of nine schools at the Za’atari refugee camp in Jordon, the enrollment rate for school-age children remains at fifty percent. What factors impact refugee students’ enrollment? Could parents’ perception of the camp’s schools or education play a role in the low school attendance at these schools? This qualitative phenomenological study examined thirty female Syrian refugees’ perceptions of their children education at the Za’atari Refugee Camp in Jordan. Interpretive Phenomenological Analytic (IPA) was employed to analyze the data collected through in-depth interviews. Findings demonstrated the refugees’ high regard for education and their aspirations for a brighter future for their children. Results also highlighted the challenges refugees face at the camp, which impede their children education and prevent the majority of them from attending schools. The results of this study shed a light on the obstacles that refugee parents face to provide education for their children at the camp. The findings should provide educational leaders with the awareness to better understand the concerns of refugee students and their parents. Additionally, this knowledge can help host countries create policies and practices that better address refugee students’ educational needs.