Migration and Remigration: Role of Education

Liesma Ose, Deputy Director, Department of Policy

Initiatives and Development, Ministry of Education and Science, Republic of Latvia

We have invited workforce, people came instead

Max Frisch

Context

• EDUCATION • EMPLOYMENT • HEALTH/SOCIAL SERVICES• HOUSING • Political participation of migrant

organizations/advocates matters, when elaborating those policies at the national level.

Methodology

• Needs assessment first, policy formulation follows• Social system approach ( Martin, 1998): involvement

of all the stake holders in all stages of policy making: from problem formulation to policy implementation. Permanent work with organizations, representing diaspora

• Collaborative governance: when implementing education strategies, consultating with our partners from Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Culture

Integration policy context

• MoES Action plan for the enhancement of social cohesion in education ( 2012-2014)

• Social capital building via enhancement of political participation of Latvian Diaspora

• Diversity mainstreaming to ensure inclusive education environment

• Flexible and accessible Latvian language learning

Practical measures • Tackling educational and cultural needs of young migrant population• Creation of safe /friendly school/class environment (teacher and school

administration training for work with culturally diverse student population)

• Diverse distance learning opportunities in basic and high school levels;• Accessible and flexible Latvian language classes, summer schools, on – line

language learning resources• Recently developed financial and in – kind assistance to so called support

schools (teaching Latvian culture, language , usually operating on weekends).

More practical measures• Recognition of diplomas and professional credentials (Center

for Academic Information); • Diaspora teachers’ (working in support schools) professional

capacity building, utilizing resources of Latvian language agency.

Resources

• On - line support system for foreign youth studying and working in Latvia www.jaunatneslietas.lv ( LV, EN,RU)

• Latvian Language agency has elaborated portfolio of teaching learning tools on Latvian as a foreign language learning and cultural adaptation for 5 to 12 years, and 13-18 years olds, as well as digital/on – line language learning resources;

• The book on Latvian language as a foreign language for students, released in 2012

• Supportive manual on understanding Latvian culture and social/political system for foreign students, developed by NGO Workshop of Solutions, widely used by universities.

New developments’2012

• Mapping needs/developing partnerships/creating new policies

• Fostering distance learning (licensing education programs starting at grade 5 till grade 12),

• Easy and fast enrollment procedure plus adaptation support in the school of enrollment since March 2012;

• New initiative to develop procedures on students studying abroad credit repayment for occupations of national interest.

Discussion

• Dynamics of emigration and immigration: once family migrates (emigration), children become 2nd generation immigrants. When they return to home country, one call them re-emigrants or repatriates.

• In circular migration process we are debating today, all three facets are included.

• Are learning needs of immigrants and re-emigrants that different?

Discussion• In line with the effective school model the OECD (Quality and Equity, 2012) has

identified some major policy elements for migrant education. • These are among others: • Eliminate system level obstacles to equity • o Manage school choice to avoid inequities • o Make funding responsible to needs • o Design equivalent upper secondary pathways • Support low performing disadvantaged schools • o Strong school leadership • o Supportive school climate • o Quality teaching • o Effective classroom strategies • o Parental and community engagement • Invest early and through upper secondary

Regarding education of re-emigrants,

• ...same for migrant students in general, five areas of expertise seem most important ( Severiens et al, 2012):

• 1) language learning (teachers should be competent in supporting language development when the language of instruction is not the mother tongue or the mother tongue is not well developed),

• 2) didactics (teachers should be competent in methods of differentiation), • 3) social interaction and identity (teachers should be competent in dealing

with stereotypes, group processes as well as identity development), • 4) parent involvement (teachers should know how to reach out and

involve parents) • 5) schools and community (teachers should know how to establish and

maintain relationships with community organizations).

Discussion: Teachers’ role

• Most recently, Hargreaves and Fullan (2012) have developed the concept of ‘professional capital’ to describe what is necessary in area of teacher profession.

• Effective teaching for the whole profession is a product of three kinds of capital, human, social and decisional, amplifying each other. The emphasis is currently mostly on human capital, teacher training.

• Besides, social capital – parent and wider community involvement matters, as well as decisional capital - wise, professional evaluation of teachers’ performance, taking into account their cultural competence, adaptability to student learning needs and flexibility in language teaching.

Thank you for all your attention!

Liga.Lejina@izm.gov.lv