My Iraqi focus group had its second session this past Friday for 3 1/2 hours. We now have 5 members ranging from age 15 to age 25. This is not the initial demographic my research was intended to work with, but is none-the-less integral in understanding the youth that will one day return to Iraq. I find these students all have a very particular problem wherein they have not been able to access post-secondary education and are not allowed to work, leaving them in the midst of attending volunteer education sessions offered by refugee services, or working illegally to get by.
Whereas the initial group of Iraqi boys was to be grammar and high school aged, I have found that meeting with them was very difficult, given their formal school schedules and exam study-sessions already under way. I think this is a good sign. It means that the group whom was thought to be 'at risk' is actually doing better than I had hoped. It means that parents are doing all they can to keep their young boys in school.
The downside to this discovery is the light being shed on the lack of opportunity for young men following secondary education. Vouchers and monetary aid are given primarily to students whose education is dire, not necessarily to those wishing to attend the more expensive colleges an universities. Even if Iraqi young men wished to attend University, they are not at the same level of English and other subjects as their Egyptian counterparts, making it difficult to pass the entrance exam. This is why my 5 students are eager to work towards a better command of English, and our hope is to assist them as much as we can in the coming weeks.
No comments:
Post a Comment