Responding to the needs of the asylum-seeking child in the Maltese educational system : some proposals

Abstract

These last decades have seen a sizeable increase in transnational border crossings motivated by social conflict, poverty and political turmoil (Lee, 2005). Placed in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, Malta suddenly started becoming a staging post in the irregular migration of people initially from the former Yugoslavia and Iraq and more recently from the southern shores of the Mediterranean to Europe (Texeire, 2006). A number of such irregular immigrants apply for refugee or humanitarian status protection to the Refugee Commissioner in Malta and in the case of unaccompanied individuals under 18 years of age, the state assumes the role of guardian of such children (Eurydice European Unit, 2004a).This paper will consider how the state of Malta can serve better the needs of the children brought over by adults seeking refugee or humanitarian protection status particularly those from Eritrea, Ethiopia and the Congo. The term "asylum seeker" will be used generically to cover both categories of migrants but not economic migrants. The term "irregular migrant" will be used generically to cover all such migrants where it is not possible to distinguish between the two categories. Some reference will be made to the Dutch experience of dealing with the issue of irregular migration in view of the fact that Malta is receiving some assistance from Holland in terms of training of personnel to work with asylum seekers under the Argo programme and in terms of resettlement of refugees (Times of Malta, 22nd March, 2006). Due to close cultural and historical links, reference will also be made to related Italian and United Kingdom experiences where applicable.