suggesting that schools need to offer trauma counselling programmes. It is important that students feel welcome at school. Equally important is that funding for the delivery of education services to refugee children and youth is not found by diverting funds allocated to existing school programmes. Where no schools are situated in the vicinity of refugee centres, education programmes are to be provided within those centres by public authorities and carried out by qualified teachers. What steps have been taken to ensure refugee children and youth’s access to education? What are the main systemic challenges to be met and which priorities are to be set? Should education programmes in transit countries be targeted at integration in their future host country? Should education programmes take into account a possible return of refugees to their home countries? Is there a role to be played by the private sector? If so, what role and under which conditions. Round Table 2: Opening Doors to Further and Higher Education Further and higher education, particularly vocational education and training, are an important gateway to the labour market. Refugee youth who have completed primary and secondary education in their home countries will seek access to jobs as part of their economic integration into host countries. However, further and higher education opportunities for refugees have historically been limited with less than 1 percent of refugee youth able to access universities. Interrupted education, learning gaps, language, confusing application procedures, lack of accreditation of local programmes, distance from education opportunities, and costs are among the challenges that need to be overcome. How to remove barriers such as high tuition fees and the lack of recognition of prior learning? Should schools establish partnerships with local businesses to enable refugee internships? Could distance and e-learning blended with on-site tutoring, provide students with certification from accredited institutions? Round Table 3: The Disadvantaged among the Disadvantaged Within the education systems of transit and host countries, special attention should be given to the most disadvantaged among refugee children and youth. These include girls; children with special needs; children engaged in child labour, those who belong to ethnic or religious minorities; and from other vulnerable groups, such as the LGBTQ minority. Some, particularly women and girls, may suffer from the effects of discrimination in their home countries and have new possibilities in their host societies. The empowerment of girls and the awareness raising of boys and adult males should be a focal point for discussion and role clarification regarding their successful integration and optimal contributions in their new environments. What measures should be taken to address the needs of the most disadvantaged among refugee children and youth?
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