Wait to enter education 'frustrating' for teenage asylum seekers

Nineteen-year old Hani and 20-year-old Hossam both dream of running their own business.

But they face more hurdles than many other young people in fulfilling those dreams.

That is because Hani came to Northern Ireland as an asylum seeker from Kurdistan, like Hossam from Sudan.

As a result, like other older teenagers who are asylum seekers, there is no automatic access to education and specialised support for them.

Hani, Hossam and others have contributed to a report called Stranded Dreams, launched in Belfast City Hall.

Put together by Anaka Women's Collective and the Participation and the Practice of Rights (PPR) organisation, it calls for a specialist education programme for those aged 16-24 who come to Northern Ireland as asylum seekers and refugees.

Hani came to Northern Ireland almost three years ago.

"The first thing that I asked for was education and study and school," she told BBC News NI.

"They told me at the age of 16 they cannot take me as a student.

"I was really disappointed," she added.

Although Hani speaks very good English now, her initial lack of English meant that she was unable to enter a Further Education (FE) College.

At present it falls on some community organisations like Anaka Women's Collective to provide educational classes for older teenagers who are asylum seekers.

It was through Anaka that Hani learned English, but the wait to enter education was frustrating.

"Young people like us, we want to find ourselves, we want to find our future," Hani said.

"But when I came here, I lost myself.

"My steps in front of me, all of them were blurry.

"We're working on this so the next generation don't face the same challenges I did," she said.

She wants a specific programme for young people over 16 to be able to start to study.

Hani has hopes of a career in business and wants to take GCSEs, A-Levels and go to university.

Hossam, meanwhile, wants to combine a career in business with fashion design and also wants to attend university.

He has been out of education since arriving in Belfast as an asylum seeker with his twin brother Wyassum in January 2024.

They came to join their mother, who had come to Northern Ireland as a refugee.

In Sudan, the boys had finished secondary school.

Hossam spoke to BBC News NI through a translator, but he desperately wants to learn English.

"We have been here for a year and a half so far, and we couldn't find any formal education," he told BBC News NI.

"We studied in Arabic in Sudan and we don't speak English, and we couldn't find a place to study English.

"Myself and my brother want to go to university, but for us to go to university we need a certain level of English."

Some other parts of the UK have targeted education programmes for asylum seekers if they are over 16, teaching them English and other subjects full-time.

In England for instance, asylum seeking young people are entitled to free education until the end of the academic year in which they turn 19.

In Northern Ireland, the Education Minister Paul Givan has announced plans to make it compulsory for young people to stay in education or training until they are 18.

That could mean education provision would also be provided for young asylum seekers and refugees up until the age of 18.

But the Stranded Dreams report said there was a need for targeted education for them.

Morgan Mattingly from Queen's University of Belfast (QUB), said there was "an intense need" for English language support especially.

She said full time programmes are needed because without that support the young people cannot access education at any level.

"Even though they desperately want to be in school, they want to be learning, their options are very limited," she added.

The Stranded Dreams report calls for targeted support with English, maths, science and other subjects.

Initially, it calls for the Northern Ireland Executive to have a pilot project in place for the start of the 2026/27 academic year.

The Chief Executive of Refugee Education UK Catherine Gladwell said that for young refugees arriving in the UK "education is a priority".

She said the difference between England and Northern Ireland show there is currently no overarching strategy from the Government to address the issue.

A Department of Education spokesperson said they were aware there are particular cohorts of young people who require additional support, including teenage asylum seekers.

They added the department is "currently consulting on proposed legislation which will provide for all learners to participate in education, apprenticeship or training until age 18".