ADULT EDUCATION EFFORTS FOR REFUGEES: A CASE OF A BORDER CITY IN TURKEY

Abstract

Due to the continuous and long refugee influxes towards its border, Turkey calibrated the attention to the permanence of refugee population and to the long term planning for their integration through education. In this study, the focus is on the adult education efforts for adult refugees. Adults can have social, economic or personal benefits from learning and adult education can play a key role especially for the refugees in terms of supporting them to get included in the host country. Adult education can encourage tolerance and respect to stand against xenophobia and refers to adult education as a key to cultivate active citizenship and intercultural competences. Such possibilities can built a more fruitful connection between refugees and host population.
This study discusses the adult education facilities offered for refugee adults in a Turkish border city, Hatay. In this city, the majority of the refugee population live outside camps, which makes them deprived from the adult education facilities offered by the authorized institutions in camps. The data were collected through observations, intensive interviews with volunteers and refugees. The findings showed that the city has offers for adult refugees on state and on voluntary basis. However, vocational training targets men more than women and Turkish language and Turkish values have a big place in the adult education curriculum. On the other hand, the city has a sectarian division with regard to refugee settlements; and religious sect and life style were found to be important in terms of deciding which type of adult education to choose or to offer.