Author
Children beneficiaries of international protection have an obligation to study at primary and secondary education institutions of the public education system, under the same conditions as nationals.[1] Similar to Reception Conditions: Access to Education, the new Asylum Code refers not to a right to education but to a duty on beneficiaries of international protection.
Adult beneficiaries are entitled to access the education system and training programmes under the same conditions as legally residing third-country nationals.[2] The number of children beneficiaries of international protection enrolled in formal education is not known. However, the total number of asylum-seeking and refugee children enrolled is 11,700 (see Reception Conditions: Access to Education).[3] Based on data provided by UNHCR for 2022, 64% of the respondent – beneficiaries of international protection (85 responses) stated that their children of school-going age attended public school classes, while 19% (25 responses) stated that they did not. The children either attended non-formal education classes (7) or had no additional support to learn Greek language. Among the reasons impeding school-going age children from attending public school classes was the frequent change of residence place, lack of enrollment places, lack of money, inability to meet the vaccine requirements, willingness to leave Greece, bullying, and other reasons not declared. Also, 5.26% declared that their children occasionally attended public school classes, 10% that some of their children attended (not all), and 2% did not attend anymore.[4]
A number of Greek language classes are provided by universities, civil society organisations and centres for vocational training. However, as noted by UNHCR, ‘Most refugees do not benefit from language courses or integration programmes in Greece’.[5] A pilot programme of Greek language courses funded by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) announced in January 2018 was included in the HELIOS project and has been implemented since June 2019 by IOM and its partners.[6] Moreover, the Municipality of Athens regularly organises Greek language courses for adult immigrants, as well as IT seminars, for, among others, adult refugees.[7]
As of May 2023 , the D.O.A.T.A.P – Hellenic National Academic Recognition and Information Centre (Hellenic NARIC) the official body of the Hellenic Republic for the academic recognition of titles and qualifications awarded by foreign Higher Education Institutions has not provided any exceptions from its extremely strict requirements for the recognition of university degrees of beneficiaries of international protection. The following requirements must be met and submitted: a legally certified copy of High School Diploma and translation in Greek; a legally certified copy of the degree to be recognised and its official translation in Greek; a legally certified copy of the official transcript of records (grades from all subjects and from all the years of study, signed and stamped by the University, stating the date of award) and its official translation in Greek; the University Certificate.[8] Moreover, L. 4957/2022 establishes the National Register of Recognised Higher Education Institutions of Foreign Countries and the National Register of Types of Degrees of Recognised Higher Education Institutions of Foreign Countries which includes extremely difficult conditions to be met by the refugees for the inclusion of their universities in it.[9]These requirements are impossible to be met by the vast majority of beneficiaries of international protection. Thus, most of them cannot continue their education in their field of studies.
[1] Article 28(1) IPA.
[2] Article 28(2) IPA.
[3] UNICEF, Refugee and migrant children in Greece as of 31 January 2019, available at: https://uni.cf/2SH2pz4.
[4] UNHCR, ‘Greece: Inter-Agency Protection Monitoring of Refugees in Greece’, available at: https://bit.ly/3VhVyOo.
[5] in.gr, ‘Ύπατη Αρμοστεία ΟΗΕ για πρόσφυγες: Δίκαιη απονομή ασύλου, όχι μόνο γρήγορη’, 6 May 2020, https://bit.ly/2LazMJf
[6] IOM, ‘Hellenic Integration Support for Beneficiaries of International Protection (HELIOS)’, available at: https://bit.ly/3d9OJbp.
[7] City of Athens, ‘Εκπαιδευτικά Προγράμματα’, available in Greek at: https://www.cityofathens.gr/node/2545.
[8] DOATAP website available at: https://bit.ly/3q8RqET.
[9] Article 304 L.4957/2022.