The social integration of third country nationals through education : a comparative analysis between Malta and Sweden

Abstract

Migration, integration and education are three global phenomena which are inexorably linked together. While humans migrate from one region to another in pursuing better opportunities, education is vital to provide for the social growth of children. In fact, the right to education is fundamental to the development of individuals and society. In this dissertation this inalienable right is analysed by focusing specifically on how the right to education is applied to compulsory-aged Third Country National students in order to achieve the level of social integration that is necessary in a democratic society. Malta and Sweden provide a drastic contrast in the integration of Third Country National children through education. Before the influxes of humanitarian migrants began, especially in the last decade, both states experienced an unprecedented amount of emigrants who started returning to their home countries in the late 1970s and 1980s. The Education Acts of Malta and Sweden thus had to make a number of alterations to adapt to the changing demographics of society. This becomes a recurrent theme as reforms occur in the educational governance, and education and migration laws of both countries in order to adjust to the incessant changes in society with the in-flow of economic and humanitarian migrants. However, while in Sweden the integration policy started progressing in the 1960s after the assimilation policies were discarded in the 1950s, in Malta the integration policy is still in its early stages. With the inflow of humanitarian and economic migrants, there is more diversity in schools and thus, quality education needs to provided for all so as to prevent the high risk that TCN students face in becoming early school leavers. EU directives are analysed followed with the comparative implementation at the national levels of Malta and Sweden to determine the access that TCN students have to the right of education. Also, the national curriculum and integration educational policies of the two states are analysed. When compared to Sweden, Malta’s setbacks in TCN integration in the classroom will become evident due to lack of TCN policy at the national level.