With the start of the academic school year 2022/2023 and the launch of the Refugee Education Integration Policy, refugee and asylum seeker children in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq will enroll in Government schools in camp and urban settings.
What is the Refugee Education Integration Policy?
The Refugee Education Integration Policy, “REIP”, is a policy developed by the Kurdistan Regional Government with support from the UN Agencies and education partners to ensure that refugee and asylum seeker children have access to quality education on an equal basis as host community children.
The REIP aims to maintain the resilience of refugees and asylum seekers during long-term displacement, and improve opportunities for social cohesion with host communities, to allow all children and youth in crisis-affected areas to access opportunities for qualifications and skills acquisition that lead to self-actualization, civic participation, and economic inclusion.
Refugee Education Integration Policy
Frequently asked questions
Refugees and asylum-seeker children have a right to access quality education. With valid residency in Iraq, they are eligible to approach the Ministry of Education to enrol in public schools at primary and secondary levels free of charge.
• For children grades 1-4: Ministry of Education will assess grade level and conduct placement.
• For children grades 5-12: students should bring certificates from their country of origin indicating their grade level to the Ministry of Education, which will conduct placement.
• For those in Bardarash camp: school facilities are under construction. Catch-up classes and other informal programmes are available through UNHCR partners.
Additionally, various informal education programmes are available for children and adolescents, including:
- Catch up classes: attached to the formal education program, for out-of-camp children
- Technical Vocational Education Trainings: targeting out-of-school adolescents
- Early Child Care Development: for pre-school age children and beginners
- E-Learning: children in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) can access an e-learning site developed by the Ministry of Education: https://www.ewane.krd/, which offers lessons for grades 1-12 in Sorani, Badini, and Arabic for students enrolled in school.