Education in Australia for forced migrants : examining the differences in entitlements between permanent and temporary protection

As the numbers of refugees and displaced persons worldwide continues to rise, it is inevitable that the number of forced migrants in Australian education will continue to increase. While education offers hope and opportunity, often disrupting the bleak daily experience of waiting for settlement, or the radical disruption of early settlement, there is a concern that the educational systems and structures in settlement contexts like Australia lack the flexibility needed to fully respond to the needs of newly arrived culturally and linguistically diverse refugee students on temporary and permanent protection visas. (Baker et al., 2019). This chapter offers a narrative account of the types of education available for both refugees and asylum seekers and a review of the literature on both these student groups in the Australian context over the last decade. The different visa categories, namely bridging visa (BV), temporary protection visa (TPV), and Safe Haven Enterprise Visa (SHEV) are included in the discussion to highlight the differently distributed funding in Australia and the responsibilities for education between the state/territory and federal (Commonwealth) governments. In the discussion that follows, the extent of access to schooling, English language, VET, and HE education for refugees with temporary and permanent protection are reviewed and the challenges and barriers to engagement in education foregrounded to show the gaps in policy and practice. In conclusion, the chapter emphasises the importance of fostering supportive learning environments and effective policy advocacy to meet the UNHCR's 15/30 strategy for increased refugee participation in education.