Refugees, Identity, and the Fight for Education: A Study of the Cultural and Political Context of Education Policy for Syrian Refugees in Neighboring Host Countries

The Syrian Refugee Crisis has significantly impacted Syria’s surrounding countries, in particular Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan, who have welcomed the largest number of Syrian refugees. International organizations have recognized the importance in providing education opportunities for the millions of refugees who have left Syria. Each host country has enacted its own education policy to accommodate for the refugees, but a significant number of refugee children remain out of school. This paper argues that it is possible to make improvements to the education policies, and that these policies have been affected by the historical, cultural, and political contexts in the host countries. By analyzing the cultural context behind these policies, international organizations and NGOs will be able to enact more effective education initiatives.