Migration and Remigration : Role of Education

1. Migration and Remigration: Role of Education Liesma Ose, DeputyDirector, DepartmentofPolicyInitiativesandDevelopment, MinistryofEducationandScience, RepublicofLatvia

2. We have invited workforce, people came instead MaxFrisch

4. Context • EDUCATION • EMPLOYMENT • HEALTH/SOCIAL SERVICES • HOUSING • Political participation of migrant organizations/advocates matters, when elaborating those policies at the national level.

5. Methodology • Needs assessment first, policy formulation follows • Social system approach ( Martin, 1998): involvement of all the stake holders in all stages of policy making: from problem formulation to policy implementation. Permanent work with organizations, representing diaspora • Collaborative governance: when implementing education strategies, consultating with our partners from Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Culture

6. Integration policy context • MoES Action plan for the enhancement of social cohesion in education ( 2012-2014) • Social capital building via enhancement of political participation of Latvian Diaspora • Diversity mainstreaming to ensure inclusive education environment • Flexible and accessible Latvian language learning

7. Practical measures • Tackling educational and cultural needs of young migrant population • Creation of safe /friendly school/class environment (teacher and school administration training for work with culturally diverse student population) • Diverse distance learning opportunities in basic and high school levels; • Accessible and flexible Latvian language classes, summer schools, on – line language learning resources • Recently developed financial and in – kind assistance to so called support schools (teaching Latvian culture, language , usually operating on weekends).

9. More practical measures • Recognition of diplomas and professional credentials (Center for Academic Information); • Diaspora teachers’ (working in support schools) professional capacity building, utilizing resources of Latvian language agency.

10. Resources • On - line support system for foreign youth studying and working in Latvia www.jaunatneslietas.lv ( LV, EN,RU) • Latvian Language agency has elaborated portfolio of teaching learning tools on Latvian as a foreign language learning and cultural adaptation for 5 to 12 years, and 13-18 years olds, as well as digital/on – line language learning resources; • The book on Latvian language as a foreign language for students, released in 2012 • Supportive manual on understanding Latvian culture and social/political system for foreign students, developed by NGO Workshop of Solutions, widely used by universities.

11. New developments’2012 • Mapping needs/developing partnerships/creating new policies • Fostering distance learning (licensing education programs starting at grade 5 till grade 12), • Easy and fast enrollment procedure plus adaptation support in the school of enrollment since March 2012; • New initiative to develop procedures on students studying abroad credit repayment for occupations of national interest.

12. Discussion • Dynamics of emigration and immigration: once family migrates (emigration), children become 2nd generation immigrants. When they return to home country, one call them re-emigrants or repatriates. • In circular migration process we are debating today, all three facets are included. • Are learning needs of immigrants and re-emigrants that different?

13. Discussion • In line with the effective school model the OECD (Quality and Equity, 2012) has identified some major policy elements for migrant education. • These are among others: • Eliminate system level obstacles to equity • o Manage school choice to avoid inequities • o Make funding responsible to needs • o Design equivalent upper secondary pathways • Support low performing disadvantaged schools • o Strong school leadership • o Supportive school climate • o Quality teaching • o Effective classroom strategies • o Parental and community engagement • Invest early and through upper secondary

14. Regarding education of re-emigrants, • ...same for migrant students in general, five areas of expertise seem most important ( Severiens et al, 2012): • 1) language learning (teachers should be competent in supporting language development when the language of instruction is not the mother tongue or the mother tongue is not well developed), • 2) didactics (teachers should be competent in methods of differentiation), • 3) social interaction and identity (teachers should be competent in dealing with stereotypes, group processes as well as identity development), • 4) parent involvement (teachers should know how to reach out and involve parents) • 5) schools and community (teachers should know how to establish and maintain relationships with community organizations).

15. Discussion: Teachers’ role • Most recently, Hargreaves and Fullan (2012) have developed the concept of ‘professional capital’ to describe what is necessary in area of teacher profession. • Effective teaching for the whole profession is a product of three kinds ofcapital, human, social and decisional, amplifying each other. The emphasis is currently mostly on human capital, teacher training. • Besides, social capital – parent and wider community involvement matters, as well as decisional capital - wise, professional evaluation of teachers’ performance, taking into account their cultural competence, adaptability to student learning needs and flexibility in language teaching.

16. Thank you for all your attention! Liga.Lejina@izm.gov.lv