During our recent trip to the Thai-Myanmar border area, we interviewed young refugee students to explore their educational goals and aspirations. Hope Akhtar observed that refugee students are keen to receive higher education focusing on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). But do Myanmar refugee students have access to STEM-based higher education?
The proliferation of artificial intelligence across many industries requires us to enhance our knowledge and skills regarding STEM disciplines. Our fluency in STEM will prepare us to improve our quality of life and create opportunities.
Given that refugees are among the most marginalized groups, acquiring STEM education is not just a skill but a potential catalyst for innovation and transformation within their communities. Introducing higher education in STEM fields could significantly enhance their chances of university admission and a career in a STEM-related field, thereby transforming their lives and communities.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and its partner organizations, including some universities, took the audacious initiative to provide higher education access to 15% of refugee students by 2030 (15by30). This sanguine enterprise could certainly reduce the refugee students’ issues regarding access to higher education. However, how much of this access focuses on advanced STEM education or emphasizes enrolling students in higher education?
Let us first explore the reality on the ground.
Myanmar refugee education in camps, for decades, focuses on basic and unaccredited high school education with uncertified teachers and impoverished infrastructure. A refugee student said, “We hardly receive any STEM support from refugee camp schools.”
Restricted movement to Thai higher education institutions and the non-existence of refugee status further exacerbate their access to education. Unfortunately, most refugee students’ academic journeys and aspirations end after matriculation (or 10th grade) because they have limited means and opportunities to continue their education. One of the refugee consultants noted that “most refugees after matriculation will either work in an organization or become a teacher, and that has been the case for decades.”
Since an unaccredited matriculation diploma is not accepted in most Thai universities, refugee students’ only hope of entering higher education is to complete a GED program (with limited STEM education), which will at least enable them to apply to Thai and other universities.
Please keep in mind that GED completion is the first step, because these students face additional challenges in obtaining a Thai student visa because of restrictions on movement. They have two options: either they repatriate and apply for a Thai student visa from Myanmar or pay hefty fees (usually under the table) and receive a 10-year Thai residency card.
Of course, having access to higher education is critical. However, university education should not be restricted to particular disciplines or fields of study. All students, including refugees, should have the freedom to choose their path based on their interests and aspirations.
Our purpose here is not to rank disciplines but to highlight that inadequate STEM education in the early years prevents students from choosing STEM subjects in their tertiary education.
A counterargument is that only students interested in STEM can pursue higher education. While this argument does hold some weight, it is equally important to acknowledge that interests develop when we have access to public institutions where we study multiple subjects, such as the humanities, sciences, and mathematics. As a result, this access allows us to choose according to our preferences and aspirations.
It’s worth noting that many governments, both in developed and developing countries, prioritize STEM education at all levels to cultivate a skilled workforce. If this is the case, it’s only fair that refugees also have the right to receive STEM-based education, enabling them to pursue STEM professions and contribute to their communities.
The 15by30 roadmap outlines crucial actions for stakeholders, such as national enrollment, the DAFI scholarship program, complimentary education pathways, connected higher education, and technical and vocational education and training. However, it’s important to note that while these actions aim to increase refugee students’ access to higher education, they do not give enough emphasis to STEM disciplines.
So far, a handful of refugees have access to STEM education through highly competitive scholarships. A few Myanmar refugee students secured scholarships for higher education in STEM. Regarding accessibility, limited student numbers cannot entirely represent the refugee population. These extraordinary students, therefore, are not an accurate metric of most refugee students whose academic journey ends after matriculation, let alone chasing dreams in STEM-based higher education leading to in-demand careers.
We appreciate the 15by30 goal. However, we implore the UNHCR and other stakeholders to include STEM-based education in primary and secondary education by hiring certified teachers and introducing the subjects to refugee students. Investing in STEM education will take years but will impact refugee lives. Moreover, STEM-based education should be subsumed into the 15by30 goal.
As citizens of sovereign nations, we all deserve equal opportunities, especially when it comes to STEM-based education. This principle of fairness should extend to refugees, ensuring they are not left behind.
Hope Akhtar is a senior at Grace International School in Chiang Mai, Thailand. She is passionate about marginalized communities’ human rights issues and education rights, including STEM-based education.
Dr. Sheraz Akhtar lectures at Indiana Wesleyan University (United States) and Chiang Mai University (Thailand). His research focuses on refugee communities’ social, economic, and education development, including teacher training in emerging countries.
