Struggles of Refugee-Receiving Schools in Turkey

Abstract

A total of 82.4 million persons had emigrated from their countries by the end of 2020 because of global conflicts. A total of 3.6 million settled in Turkey, which became the most refugee-receiving country. Among those resettled in Turkey, the majority were school-aged children, and schools became an inseparable instrument in the adaptation process. Thus, schools play a vital role in creating a safe space for healing; through students, schools also contribute to building solidarity and collective responsibility for the social inclusion of refugees. Schools’ guidance services are key in working with the school’s stakeholders. This study aims to analyze the needs and issues of schools with high refugee density in different parts of Turkey from the school counselors’ perspectives. Using a semistructured interview protocol, we interviewed fifteen school counselors from seven different cities, and three main themes emerged: (a) student-related issues, (b) contextual issues, and (c) response strategies. Findings indicate that refugee-receiving schools need to attend to students and families, as well as deal with conflicts among Syrians and conflicts between Syrians and locals, with limited resources.