Seeking education beyond refuge: An analysis of Syrian parents’ perspectives of their children's education in Istanbul

Abstract

This study is an inquiry into the experiences of Syrian refugee parents in their pursuit for education in Istanbul for their children. Aiming to analyze the ways their parents struggle for acquisition of cultural capital for Syrian children, this thesis explores the possibilities and constraints encountered within the education system as well as the resources and strategies Syrian parents put into use as a response. A qualitative study was conducted through grounded theory methodology. The study suggests that children’s education has a significant precedence in refugee families’ lives but their overall living conditions full of deprivation have adverse influence on children’s education. The study also reveals parents’ dilemma of school choice between public schools and Temporary Education Centers nourished by the possibilities and constraints that two different school choices bring about. Some parents reported better experiences for their children’s educational inclusion in public schools. Acquisition of Turkish before school, extracurricular support in learning Turkish and other studies, having Turkish friends in and out of school, attentive treatment by teachers and strong parental involvement were particular aspects of these children’s educational lives. However Syrian refugee families’ resources to mobilize in response to the challenges against educational inclusion of their children is considerably scarce and the language barrier is a common obstacle ahead of all their strategies. Still, parents struggle to make use of their cultural and social capital, learn together with their children, engage with schools at differential levels and find ways to draw resources from the school.