Education executives and teachers views on the education and integration of refugees in the Greek educational system
Over the past few years, the increased influx of refugees in Europe has urged the host countries to manage and cover their needs. At the same time, since more than half of the refugee number is of school and preschool age, the design of an educational policy for the refugee students has become necessary. Within a limited amount of time available, Greece has made an attempt to adjust its educational system in such a way that it favors the students’ smooth incorporation. For this purpose, Reception Structures for Refugee Education (RSRE) was founded. This study attempts to analyze the views of education executives and teaching staff having worked at schools where Reception Structures for Refugee Education (RSRE) have been hosted, regarding the refugee students’ presence and incorporation. In particular, the present study aims to shed light on the education executives and teaching staff views on refugee students themselves, their integration process as well as their transition process from Reception Structures for Refugee Education (RSRE) towards the regular school’s curriculum. From the research findings, it came out as a result that the school community has warmly welcomed the refugee students. In addition, it came that for the teachers and education executives, the refugee students’ intergration into the school’s routine and normality is a primary goal. The refugees’ difficulty to communicate and their uncertainty about remaining in the country seem to be among the main challenges that this integration process entails. In general, the function of RSRE during the past school year seems to have contributed to a certain extent to the students’ smooth transition towards and incorporation into the regular, day school. From the data analysis it also became evident that the refugees’ parents have a limited interaction with the school community, especially when it comes to the teaching staff. Besides from that, the reactions expressed last year in several schools by Greek parents as to refugees’ attending classes at school have now ceased. The teaching staff and education executives pursue to overcome the ever shortages and deficiencies, and apply intercultural education principles in their educational approach.