Long-term impacts for migrant learners in education
Kaiako
Jeslie; student
Some of the challenges I've had is just like coping and, like, fitting in. When we first came here, it was really different. You could even tell it, like in the air, that you're in a different country. Like, it's very, very different. It was really hard to fit in and not get, like, stared at or like, pointed at and all that stuff. There was a lot of prejudiced behaviour. Like, you can tell that some people really didn't want you there.
Rashida; teacher
We do generally find that students do hang out in mixed cultural groups, but they don't really mix with Pākehā students. So there's still quite a divide between the social groupings that might happen. And even in a class, it's still the same; many of our migrant students, if they don't know anyone in the class, will choose to sit by themselves at the start until there's some kind of social engineering that might happen, or they feel comfortable to sit with other people.
Nathan; student
I think that the school could help if, like, there would be clubs of a specific race; like coming together, like bonding together. Then it would be easier to make friends rather than having to, like, find it yourself and, like, really explore this school to find your own inner circle.
Rashida; teacher
The choice is the key thing. So they can choose to run committees. They can choose to create new committees. Nothing is set in stone. So many of these students may opt to create a cultural committee or do a cultural day where they can showcase their cultures.
We have a big focus on mātauranga Māori in the curriculum. So decentralising a Pākehā view, and putting in mātauranga Māori alongside as an alternative view/perspective, allows these students to actually incorporate their own cultures as well. So having all these views side-by-side, allowing them perspectives.
There's huge pressures on these students and we just don't know what they are. So having a much broader idea of what their life is like is really important for us as teachers to be able to meet their needs.
Supporting new migrant students doesn’t have to be complicated. In this video, students describe what they need from a school to feel valued and supported.
Far-reaching research has shown the impacts of racism on children; it negatively affects their academic achievement, physical wellbeing, cognitive development, health, likelihood to smoke or binge-drink, anxiety, depression and distress, reduced happiness and lower self-worth (ERO, 2023, p.45).
We must create inclusive school environments where all learners, including those from refugee and migrant backgrounds, feel respected, understood, and supported in their educational journey. This increases the sense of belonging and acceptance for ākonga with diverse backgrounds, ultimately contributing to their academic success and wellbeing in and out of school.
When thinking about the long-term impacts of inequity for migrant ākonga, the following themes emerged from the findings of the report:
Access and participation
- Language barriers and trauma-related issues impact some migrant learners’ ability to fully participate in their schooling.
- Languages offered in schools don’t reflect the linguistic diversity of Aotearoa.
Outcomes
- Some migrant ākonga achieve well at NCEA levels, but the mental health and wellbeing issues for many are huge.
- Connectedness and belonging, and the ways they are impacted by racism, has a big influence on how well migrant learners cope.
Students reporting ethnic discrimination in past 12 months, by ethnicity
Ka hiahiatia pea ēnei
You may also be interested in
- A very New Zealand education: Deny, deflect, defend
An article that looks at racism in our schools through a migrant lens. - Our Truth, Tā Mātou Pono: Migrants of colour seen as 'forever foreigners'
The ‘forever foreigner’ concept is often only applied to migrants of colour, who then face social stigma, stereotyping and racism. - Yesterday I was African, today I am lost: A speech by Takunda Muzondiwa
A year 13 student speaks about struggling to stay connected to her home in Zimbabwe while trying to create a new home in Aotearoa.
Hei whakaaro ake
Food for thought
- Reflect on your own identities as a New Zealander and what insight that might give you into the migrant experience.
- How can the education system in Aotearoa ease the journey of migrant learners?
- What migrant networks or groups can I connect with to find out more about the needs of migrant ākonga in my rohe?
- In what ways could you work alongside migrant families to help recognise their aspirations in education?
