Afghan Migration and Pursuit of Education: Opportunities and Hurdles.
By: Bilal Mohib

Abstract:
The past four decades of protracted conflicts and socioeconomic turmoil in Afghanistan have engulfed its population in a predicament that had adverse effects on their social, political, cultural, and economic lives. It also brought about mass migrations from the country and millions of residents migrated to the neighboring countries or Europe, the US, and Australia seeking opportunities to initiate a new chapter of life. Among the various opportunities, education is also regarded as a prominent factor of life by migrants, and are aiming to utilize this opportunity. The opportunities entail many socio-economic factors like scholarships, orientation, vocational, and a standard educational system. Albeit having these chances, there are considerable impediments in terms of educational processes which these migrants are coping with which encompasses language barriers, financial burdens, cultural disparities, and a dissimilar educational curriculum or system as compared to Afghanistan.

The paramount aim of this research is to examine and extract information from the experiences of those migrants who are pursuing higher education. I have inquired the Afghan migrants regarding the obtainable opportunities, the challenges that they stumble upon, and the repercussions that these factors have on their learning process. More importantly, the opportunities and challenges differ from country to country, and not all Afghan migrants can obtain the available opportunities. This pivotal information that I compiled, would assist those who are willing to migrate for educational purposes by giving a notion of the awaiting opportunities and hurdles. The readers would be able to utilize the opportunities effectively and take measures for the obstacles from now on to alleviate the adverse impact that it would place on their learning processes.

Problem Statement:
Education has gained colossal significance among Afghan migrants. They are exerting themselves to complete higher education by obtaining a degree in the field of studies they are willing to accomplish. Educational access is affected by factors that might uphold or impede migrants from attaining it. These factors must be investigated thoroughly to produce a comprehensive knowledge of the relevant matter.
Information is available regarding the opportunities and challenges such as DAAD or King Carl Gustaf scholarships, student cards, dormitory, residency opportunities, and challenges like language barriers and lack of computer skills.
However, the technical and personal experiences of the migrants in terms of pursuing higher education which encompasses a multi-faceted process, have remained obscured and not elaborated on. Therefore, this research will discern the opportunities and obstacles that most Afghan migrants stumble upon. This research will probe those factors to provide insight for those who have decided to migrate, avail themselves of the opportunities, and take remedial measures for the hurdles.

Research Questions:
1- What are the main obtainable opportunities that Afghan migrants can avail of while pursuing higher education?
2- What factors curb or pose a challenge in the educational pursuit for Afghan migrants?

Research Objectives:
1- To discern and elicit information regarding the obtainable opportunities.
2- To gather comprehensive and essential information based on individuals’ personal experiences regarding overcoming obstacles.

Literature Review:
Since the 1978 coup and a series of political transitions, Afghans have faced calamitous life experiences. These experiences forced the population to migrate especially to the adjacent countries. At the same time, the migration of Afghans to Europe, the USA, Canada, and Australia also proliferated (Hakimi, 2022).
Some of these refugees urgently need practical support to become proficient in terms of educational pursuits. They stumble upon hurdles at the entrance to the universities because of the non-availability of transcripts, certificates, or legal educational documents, requiring them to take full secondary level education or study the 10th grade once more to obtain the legal documents before proceeding to the higher education. These obstacles are further bolstered by the poverty of these migrant families concerning the unaffordable fees and overall economic burdens (Dilshad & Durrani, 2021).
Another impediment for Aghan immigrants especially in the UK is the inadequacy of digital skills and their lack of acquaintance with the usage of phones or computer skills that are pivotal for educational pursuit (Refugee Integration in South East England [RISE], 2022).
The language barrier is another prevailing challenge for Afghans, especially in European countries like Germany and France. In both of these countries, the language requirement is B1 level (Hakimi, 2022). In other countries like Pakistan, the lack of English language skills abates the chances for Afghan immigrants to begin higher education (Dilshad & Durrani, 2022).
In India, Afghan migrants lack documents and qualifications like refuge ID cards, birth certificates, and academic qualifications in order to be enrolled in universities. The subjects taught in schools in Afghanistan, contain various subjects, but they lack specialization courses which poses a preclusion (Anushka, 2022).
In conjunction with that, those Afghans who have been able to secure a place to study in Germany have to reside in a second country since the diplomatic relations are cut. In the case of the Netherlands, there is no specific procedure to assist Afghan immigrants in their educational pursuits. They must have a network of contacts and should visit the educational institutions by themselves (Hakimi, 2022).
Moreover, The Swedish scholarship of the King Carl Gustaf scholarship encompasses Afghans as one of the eligible categories to apply, however, it is only for a master’s degree and requires an application fee (Hakimi, 2022).
Despite the aforementioned hampering factors for higher education, there are accessible opportunities that can be obtained to amplify the educational journey for Afghan immigrants. The European Students’ Union is providing scholarships for Afghan immigrants and asylum-seekers through a program called Student at Risk in Norway and Germany (European Students’ Union [ESU], 2021).
Iran, which has an influx of Afghan migrants, provides higher educational opportunities. The Afghan migrants are only required to provide two legal documents: a valid passport and a school graduation certificate for the bachelor’s degree as a pre-requisite. Additionally, the educational process has other merits, including a residency of five years for a bachelor’s degree, three years for a master’s degree, and five years for doctoral students. The students will also be endowed with a student card that holds higher eminence along with a residency certificate through which the students can access telecommunication and banking services. A dormitory is also provided at a lower cost which does not create a financial burden on the students (Hasht-E Subh, 2023).
Similarly, international organizations like UNHCR, provide incentives by granting scholarships to Afghan refugees in Pakistan. Pakistan also offers 2 integral scholarships 1- the Allama Muhammad Iqbal scholarship and 2- the Prime Minister’s scholarship for those Afghans residing in Pakistan (Ayub & Attullah, 2022).

Research Methodology:
This research is based on the qualitative approach of data compilation. To collate the data, six Afghan migrants were interviewed. Some interviewees are pursuing bachelor’s degrees while others are pursuing master’s degrees. The narrators I interviewed for this research reside in various parts of the world such as Malaysia, France, Canada, the UK, and Japan making the narratives more eclectic. Thematic analysis has been used to analyze the data. For selecting the interviewees, the purposive sampling approach has been adopted in this research.

Discussions & Findings:

Opportunities:
1- Financial Assistance:
Afghan migrants in most cases are in urgent need of financial support. Migrating from Afghanistan where there are no adequate employment opportunities for youths through which they can have an income and forge savings to pursue higher education, support in this regard proves to be pivotal. Those Afghans who have managed to attain any sort of financial assistance from the state, institutions, organizations, or the university itself are very pleased. They receive sufficient amounts to cover their financial expenditures. Shahram Naderi migrated to France in 2022 and has registered himself in an organization called (mission local). Mission Locals are organizations based in France where the French government provides consulting or orientation services for migrants and monetary assistance who are between 16 to 25 years of age. Mr. Naderi receives an allowance of 500 Euros on a weekly basis. In conjunction with that, there is no educational cost in France, it is free. This has created an impetus for him to pursue his computer science degree.

In Canada, students are provided with student loans. The Afghan migrants can readily commence their higher education in the fields of their choice. In order to further uphold the migrants. Employment opportunities available. Abid Balakarzai, who migrated to Canada in 2021, gained an employment opportunity through the state office of British Columbia which assisted him a lot in covering his expenses. This assistance from the state has reduced the expenses burden and he can start his higher education without any worries.
In the same manner, the government and institutions of some countries also uphold the Afghan migrants by granting them some amount that can cover a portion of their educational costs. Abdul Baqi Sultani recently accomplished his master’s in international construction project management in the UK. During the inception of his studies, the institutions granted him 2500 pounds as a discount for his tuition fees and accommodation costs “This was a critical support for me since I was self-funded.”

2- Language Training Courses:
Considering the educational journey of Afghan migrants, language holds an eminent status that must be instructed to make them proficient and competent. Since Afghan migrants reside in various countries, especially in Europe, they need to be supported in this matter. These programs are offered and funded by the government. With such an opportunity at their disposal, the Afghan migrants can gain the skills and knowledge of a new language that proves to be integral to their education. Shahram Naderi who migrated to France in 2022, registered himself in a language training course that instructs it up to B1 level “Within a couple of months, I gained sufficient skills that assisted me in daily conversations.”

According to Mr. Sultani, the universities in the UK offer professional language services to teach academic writing skills. Surprisingly, some state-funded English language courses in Canada also bestow 8-10 dollars per class. Mr. Balakarzai completed English language courses through which he could proceed with starting a degree.

3- Internship and Mentoring Programs:
Those migrants pursuing higher education constantly ruminate about gaining employment in a professional industry or organization whose activities are compatible with the fields that they study. For Afghan migrants, such programs would uphold them in their future endeavors and lives. There are internships, networking events, and mentoring programs that Afghan migrants can avail themselves of. Mr. Sultani was offered two internship programs. One was from an organization for six months and the second was from Glasgow University. Similarly, internship programs are also offered by professional companies or industries. Three years ago Abdul Khaliq Dawlat migrated to Malaysia. He is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He dreams of being an intern in a company or an industry and subsequently gaining employment in a company suitable for his skills and competencies in the related field. He explains that around 20 to 60 companies annually conduct interviews with the students to provide them with internship programs “I hope I can get an internship with a big company.” Mr. Dawlat said.

4- Student Support Programs and Services:
In the interview with Abdul Baqi Sultani, he elaborated on eminent programs and services that help students to be active and proficient while engaged in activities. The universities also have student associations and clubs through which the students can engage in pivotal activities. Furthermore, trips were arranged for the students with which he had a good experience. Similarly, mental health services are also provided to assist those experiencing traumas and assist the students in terms of alleviating the adverse repercussions of these traumas on their studies. The campus also has a gym and a professional library with friendly staff. With such services and programs at his disposal, the students, especially the Afghans would be more engaged and motivated. A similar case is also with Naseer Noor, he mentioned that the library staff’s demeanor is amicable. In addition to that, the research and supporting facilities are also available. Such amenities for the students would alleviate the pressures on them.

Figure 5, Images of a library in a university in Malaysia.

Hampering Factors (Challenges):
1- Educational Documents of Afghanistan:
Due to the underdevelopment of the educational system in Afghanistan compared to other countries, the credibility of its documents, particularly school transcripts, is diminished.. In my findings during the interviews, it is one of the prevailing obstructions for university admission. Sometimes, the documents and graduation certificates of Afghan schools are not valid or functional. The Afghan migrants holding these documents will have to translate and convert them. Before migrating to France, Shahram Naderi completed his secondary-level education in Afghanistan. He took his documents with him. Before he could access higher education, he must have translated his school documents into French through a process called (Eric Naric). Once translated, his documents were credible to access higher education “After the translation process, the documents will be called (reconnaissance de diplôme).”
In addition, some specific subjects are required to be studied again to be regarded as eligible categories of applicants to universities. Subjects related to science are prominent in higher education, especially medical studies. Mr. Balakarzai who migrated to Canada, stated that he had to study Biology again. However, he had studied it in Afghanistan and the marks are also available in the documents, but the credibility issues hampered him from readily gaining admission to a university.

2- Language Barriers:
The training courses are offered and funded by the state, but they require a significant time commitment, sometimes lasting for months or even years. This delay hinders the pursuit of higher education for Afghan migrants. While they are making their best effort to become proficient, it’s not a task that can be accomplished quickly.
Mr. Naderi had to learn the A1, A2, and B1 level of French language for seven months. However, there is more to the story since the B2 level must be completed to be eligible for a university. The B2 level will also take around 6-12 months creating even more delays in the educational process.

Figure 6, Image of the English language training course offered to Abid Balakarzai

In some cases, the accent also poses a challenge to Afghan migrants. According to Mr. Dawlat who is pursuing a BBA degree in Malaysia, when he was first studying, the English accent was not apprehensible to him which resulted in some issues during the conversations with others.

3- Financial Burdens:
Though in some countries, the educational costs are funded through the state, the Afghan migrants cannot utterly overcome the financial burdens. Not all Afghans can obtain the opportunity and even if the educational costs are covered, Afghan migrants must cover other expenses by themselves. Fee reimbursement and personal expenditures pose a serious challenge while pursuing a degree in a specific field. Coalesced with each other, they create a huge burden which in some cases needs to be docile. The student loan is granted as a part of financial assistance; however, the loan has to be repaid. In certain universities, fee payment has a specific procedure and policy. Afghan students may encounter serious challenges in case they fail to comply with this procedure.
Mr. Dawlat who is studying in Malaysia, is required to pay 50% of the fee at the commencement of a new semester. The fee does not cover accommodation and food expenses, and he relies on financial assistance from his family to cover this cost.
The same challenge also caused issues in Mr. Sultani’s educational process. Since he migrated to the UK, he says the living costs have increased. He had to create an installment plan and clear his fee within 8 to 9 months “ In case I failed to do so, I would have been suspended from the system.”
Those migrants who gained employment opportunities in the UK can only work for specific hours in a week. There is a limit for asylum-seekers and refugees. Dr. Shukrullah Noori talked about this issue and stated that the limit is 20 hours. The working hours limit merged with the increase of living costs, creates a burden on Afghan migrants to sustain their livelihood and pursue education.

4- Cultural Disparities:
If an individual migrates from his homeland, cultural shocks will be inevitable. Adapting, integrating, and getting conversant with a new culture is a struggle for Afghan migrants. It encompasses Language, clothing, and many other factors. Most of the time they miss their families, relatives, friends, community, food, and overall culture of Afghanistan. Mr. Balakarzai often recalls his friends and classmates whom he had back in Afghanistan “Here I rarely find an opportunity to have a conversation with someone.”
Since culture encompasses multi-faceted aspects of human life, food and language differences are the most noticeable. Different food tastes challenge the educational life of Afghan immigrants. However, the Afghan migrants will overcome these sorts of preclusions over time. Mr. Dawlat was not used to Malaysian food when he started university.
A similar case is also with Mr. Noor who is pursuing his master’s degree in Japan. Japanese food is disparate compared to Afghanistan’s and he cooks for himself which also creates a personal expenditure for him.

5- Variation in Teaching and Assessment Methodology:
Since the educational systems of countries are variant, Afghan migrants often find it challenging to familiarize themselves with the new teaching and assessment methodology. The number of weekly classes differs from the courses studied in Afghanistan. Even the number of semesters to be studied annually is also different. The lectures are delivered online, in class, through pre-recorded materials, and readings. In Afghanistan, students study only two semesters annually at universities.
Some Afghan migrants have completed their bachelor’s degree in Afghanistan and are now pursuing their master’s degree. They are well-versed with the higher education system of Afghanistan and have extensively discussed this issue.
.

Mr. Sultani has already completed one master’s degree in Afghanistan. In the UK he is pursuing his second degree. According to his explanation considering the teaching and assessment methodology of the UK, there are 2 weekly classes and three semesters in a single year. Each semester takes 4 months equivalent to 12 weeks, to be completed. One week the lectures are delivered in class, and the next week through online sessions. Sometimes the lectures are delivered as recordings and readings. The assessment system is also disparate compared to Afghanistan’s educational system. There are two quizzes conducted as a form of assessment which make up to 15% of total marks; a portfolio and a discussion group.

In conjunction with that, the curriculum also differs. The curriculum of other countries is up to date as compared to Afghanistan’s. The students are often required to retake some courses. In the case of Mr. Noor, he had to restudy some undergraduate courses as per the requirement of the master’s curriculum in cybersecurity.
Dr. Noori also stumbled upon the same issue. During the interview, he discussed that the lectures are research-based. He is provided with references and must study the topics. This teaching methodology is not available in Afghanistan, so it challenges the migrants.

Conclusion:
Afghan migrants are zealously pursuing higher education and are exerting themselves to attain a degree that can uphold or assist them in their future lives. They also have expectations that their new chapter of life would include incentives not available to them in Afghanistan such as employment, education, etc. The struggle to gain a degree is bolstered and precluded by some factors migrants have described. The opportunities encompass financial assistance, language training courses to make the Afghan migrants proficient in a specific language, internship, and mentoring programs, and pivotal services that the migrants can avail of. In contrast to these opportunities, other factors forge a hindrance, and, in some cases, it dwindles the predilection of Afghan migrants to pursue higher education. The hampering factors discussed by the narrators are the need for more credibility of educational documents from Afghanistan, language barriers, financial burdens that include accommodation costs and personal expenditures, cultural disparities, and a variant teaching and assessment methodology compared to Afghanistan’s universities. It is not guaranteed that each Afghan migrant will gain these aforementioned opportunities, but the challenges mentioned by the narrators are inevitable.

References:

1- Dilshad, Durrani. 2021. “Experiencing Higher Education by Afghan Refugees: A Case Study from Pakistan.” Sir Syed Journal of Education & Social Research, Vol. 4, Issue 2, 2021.

2- Hakimi. 2022. “Higher Education In Europe: A Pathway To Protection For Afghans?”, European Council on Refugees and Exiles.

3- Hasht-E Subh, “The State of Higher Education for Afghan Refugees in Iran.”. 2023. /https://8am.media/eng/the-state-of-higher-education-for-afghan-refugees-in-iran/

4- International Rescue Committee, Refugee Integration in South East England. 2021. “Supporting Afghan Students in Schools & Youth Programs”.

5- European Students’ Union (ESU), “ Support Afghan Students.”, 2021.https://esu-online.org/support-afghan-students/

6- Ayub, & Attullah. 2022. “Barriers to Access Education for Afghan Refugees in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan”, ADSP.

7- Anushka. 2022. “ Higher Education Concerns for Young Afghan Refugees in Delhi”.

Bilal Mohib

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *