Syrian Newcomer Students’ Feelings and Attitudes Regarding Their Education in Canada

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to share and discuss our research findings on the experiences of Syrian refugee students in elementary public schools in a southwestern region of Ontario, Canada. We used Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child as a frame to guide this study. Data collection involved an anonymous questionnaire completed by the students. The majority of the students experienced interruptions to their education prior to resettlement in Canada. The students reported positive resettlement and socio-cultural experiences in Canada, however, some of them faced difficulties with their learning. Key words: Syrian refugee students; resettlement; school experiences in Canada