Education, migration and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

This briefing explores the challenges and opportunities related to primary-school education for migrants – especially in host countries – and the implications for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It focuses mainly on international migrants, but also includes a brief discussion of education for refugees.

It first highlights why education matters for migrants and their host countries. It then goes on to discuss trends in primary education for migrant groups, as education at this level has important repercussions for educational achievement at upper levels and for joining the workforce. It examines how migrant education contributes to SDG achievement, particularly SDG 4 on education and sub-goals on children in vulnerable situations. It explores some of the major challenges, particularly in terms of integration into education systems and the kind of education provided. The analysis examines how migrant education issues may differ between low-, middle- and high-income countries, and concludes by drawing out detailed recommendations.