The integration of refugees into school, training and work is inadequate. Refugees, asylum seekers, deportees and sans-papiers who want to educate themselves and work often face almost insurmountable barriers. Access to education therefore urgently needs to be simplified.
We are calling on the National Council, the Council of States, the Federal Council and the cantons:
- The “Swiss Integration Agenda” must guarantee the right and entitlement to education for all, regardless of residence status and according to their potential.
- Primary and lower secondary level: Refugee children and their families should be quickly integrated into child-friendly homes and regular primary school classes.
- Upper secondary level: Young refugees of post-compulsory age need full-time, full-value training, more generous vocational preparation programmes and support and encouragement, including for grammar school if they are suitable.
- Anyone undergoing training should be able to complete it, even if a negative asylum decision is made.
- Universities: The Confederation, the cantons and the universities must ensure that refugees with a good educational background are supported in gaining access to universities and that the diplomas they bring with them are better recognised.
- Continuing education: In the digitalised knowledge society, age limits in education make no sense. All people, especially refugees, should also be able to take advantage of educational programmes in adulthood.
The “Education for all – now!”campaign was launched by Solidarité sans frontières, the VPOD and the Association of Swiss Student Organisations (VSS) and is supported by the ASZ.