Educating the displaced: inclusive education for Syrian Turkmens in Türkiye

Following the Syrian civil war, many of the Syrian Turkmen, due to ethnic, cultural and religious ties with Türkiye, sought refuge in the country. With Türkiye’s inclusion model in 2016, Syrian refugees gained access to education and thus could integrate into the national system. This qualitative study investigated the educational xperiences of Syrian Turkmen students, a unique and understudied population. The snowball sampling methodology was employed in conducting semi-structured interviews with 26 Turkmen high school students, 18 parents and 22 Turkish educators. Three major themes were discovered through thematic analysis: policy, culture and practice, critiqued through a multicultural lens. Findings underline the identity crises and discrimination that have a strong negative impact on the academic success of Turkmen students. Though culturally similar, Syrian Turkmen students are underserved due to policies and materials ignoring their needs; targeted support and culturally responsive teaching can enhance achievement and foster integration.