Refugees and Higher Education Accessibility: Issues of Policy and Law

Abstract

Immigration is the movement of persons through national borders for various reasons. Some studies on the immigration phenomenon have focused on curriculum development and delivery issues as well as cross-cultural adjustment issues; other researches focus on barriers that disenfranchise immigrants from accessing postsecondary schools. However, most of these efforts are in developed nations which can afford providing welfare to unauthorised or unregistered immigrants to access some services. This study is more specific on refugee immigrants in a developing nation where such benefits are not availed to recognised or unrecognised refugees. The study aims at equitable treatment of refugees in accessing Higher Education in Uganda. The objective is to study how policy and law impact on refugee status in accessing Higher Education in Uganda. Through empirical research, the study finds emotional disorder and systemic constraints as indirect but key challenges to Higher Education access by refugees. It recommends loosening refugee policy and law, accelerating refugee application process, and re-orienting live-by-the-day attitude as ways of minimising the challenges.