Beyond providing access to education for all, the SDG4 places ‘quality’, ‘equity’, and ‘inclusion’ as key priorities in moving forward with the Agenda for Sustainable Development. Despite huge financial and... [ view full abstract ]
Beyond providing access to education for all, the SDG4 places ‘quality’, ‘equity’, and ‘inclusion’ as key priorities in moving forward with the Agenda for Sustainable Development. Despite huge financial and educational efforts, studies continue to report low enrolment and high dropout rates within conflict-affected contexts. Numerous factors have been identified as barriers to achieving quality access to education, including insufficient resources, violence, poverty, and instability. However, the complexities of these challenges also highlight the importance of studying individual contexts and lived experiences.
This research project is a case study seeking to contextualise the challenges Syrian refugee students face in Jordan. The study explores student wellbeing and student perception; it studies the experiences of 80 Syrian refugee students attending the segregated double-shift system in outer Amman, Jordan. Using Sen’s Capability Approach, the study identifies wellbeing as one’s ability to do and become that which they value. The study uses arts-based methods with students in grade 7 and 8, ages 13-16, to explore individual and shared perceptions of wellbeing. Arts-based methods are used to encourage students to reflect on their current educational settings and lives, identifying the factors they believe are positive or negative to their wellbeing, aspirations, and prospects of the future. This study is conducted across four settings: two boys’ and two girls’ schools. As a result, the study also seeks to understand the role of gender in relation to the challenges, values, and needs identified. Teacher interviews and classroom observations are also conducted to provide a rich description of these four school settings.
This study is currently in the data collection phase, to be completed by mid April. The findings of this study contribute to the sub-theme, Developing Capabilities for Sustainable Livelihoods, by discussing the ways in which contextualised experiences and student voice may help inform policy.
