The neglected needs of Artsakh children

Migration, whether driven by economic/political instability or any other reason, is a challenge for various educational systems.

Armenia has also faced difficulties when managing the influx of forcibly displaced people from Artsakh, particularly regarding the integration of children into the educational system. Despite significant efforts to provide humanitarian aid, the integration of displaced children into Armenian schools has revealed several systemic issues.

Although Armenia was initially focused on providing first aid and finding temporary solutions, there was a clear lack of long-term integration planning. As a result, many displaced children were left in uncertainty regarding their (educational) future.

Schools were not adequately prepared to accommodate a large number of new students, leading to overcrowded classrooms and a shortage of resources.

Particularly concerning was the fact that 30,000 school-age and preschool children had witnessed traumatic events and were forced to leave their homes.

Unlike the immediate provision of basic aid, the state failed to provide comprehensive psychological and social support in the educational system. Although some schools offered basic counseling services, there were no systematic measures to address the emotional and psychological needs of children who had gone through significant hardships.

Causes

In Armenian educational institutions, teachers were mostly unprepared to meet the special needs of refugee children. Overburdened with large classes and lacking specialized training, teachers struggled to provide the individualized approach necessary for displaced students.

The education system had not prepared teachers for this challenge, and they did not show sufficient initiative, even during the dramatic influx of migrants.

Surprisingly, there are no programs in Armenia to help non-Armenian-speaking migrant or refugee children integrate into the school system. Many families arriving from abroad, including those migrating from conflict zones in neighboring regions, face significant obstacles in accessing free public education due to the lack of language support. Without specialized tools or resources for teaching Armenian as a second language, these children often have no choice but to refuse public school and turn to expensive private schools, which may offer individualized language support. However, this is obviously not accessible to everyone.

The EU Experience

In contrast, the European Union has made significant progress in integrating migrants and refugees into the education sector. Many EU member countries have developed comprehensive strategies for integrating migrant children into their educational systems, focusing on inclusivity, language learning, and cultural sensitivity.

Germany’s Approach

Germany, which has received the largest number of refugees in Europe in recent years, has developed specific policies to integrate refugee and migrant children into its educational system.

Germany’s “Willkommensklassen” (welcome classes) are special transitional classes where newly arrived children receive systematic and active language instruction before transitioning to regular education. This model allows migrant children to develop language skills while gradually integrating with their peers in regular classrooms. Germany not only emphasizes language learning but also provides psychological and social support to address the trauma many refugees have experienced.

Multiculturalism and Language Diversity in Sweden

Sweden pays great attention to multiculturalism and multilingualism. Swedish schools, in addition to offering active instruction in Swedish as a foreign language, are required to provide mother tongue lessons to migrant children, allowing them to maintain their native language and cultural identity. Furthermore, Sweden offers comprehensive support to teachers by organizing training that equip them with the skills to meet the needs of classrooms composed of children from diverse cultural backgrounds.

What Armenia Needs to Do

Armenia has the opportunity to study and adapt these models, creating not only temporary solutions but also a sustainable and inclusive educational environment that ensures equal educational opportunities for all children.

The EU countries developed these models based on real-life needs. In Armenia, there is still no visible awareness or initiative from government bodies, but it is never too late to start from the ground up and build a better system for the future.

Lilit Avagyan