Experiencing Higher Education by Afghan Refugees: A Case study from Pakistan

Abstract

The future of refugees in different countries is uncertain. They need support to provide hope for a successful future. Young refugees have their perspectives on the reflection of their personal experiences, needs, accessibility to services, and relevant opportunities. It is a common observation that most of the refugees remain silent regarding their experiences, feelings, and wishes during the journey of arrival in a new country. Nowadays, the voices of young refugees have been penned downed in literature; heard by practitioners, and by those who are involved in policymaking. For the current study, the objectives were to explore the experiences faced by Afghan refugees during their journey for higher education in Pakistan. This was a qualitative study and interview protocol was adopted as a tool for the collection of data. Data was collected through interviews with refugees’ students by the researcher. 20 students were selected through purposive sampling technique from four higher education institutions of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in which 17 students were interviewed. Thematic analysis was done, and themes were generated from interviews. Through this study, it was recommended that the implementation of educational policies for refugees may be checked by the higher authorities so that young refugees may be facilitated in the journey of higher education.