Insufficient services for migrant and refugee children enrolled in formal education Although it was estimated that around 700 children would be enrolled in formal education in September and October 2017, there is a lack of mentoring and informal education services throughout the school year to help children to learn the local language and catch up with their peers. In addition, there are no state measures promoting enrolment in secondary school for children above the age of 14.
Lack of integration policies Since Serbia has been seen as a transit country by the majority of refugees and migrants, as well as by the State authorities, state services have focused on providing humanitarian assistance and initial reception services, whilst integration polices have not been considered necessary. Moreover due to the fluctuation of the population during the first months of the implementation of this programme and the unpredictable number of arrivals, it was difficult for the organization to plan and achieve long-term objectives. However, after the official closure of the Western Balkan route, the situation changed, as now refugees are staying in Serbia for longer periods of time. They are consequently in need of services beyond humanitarian assistance, including access to education for children.
LESSONS LEARNED
• Flexibility is key to successful project implementation. Shifting the focus from short-term activities to longer-term services requires a level of flexibility in adapting to new realities. Securing ongoing funding beyond the first months of an emergency to keep the programmes up and running remains a challenge.
• Inclusion in the local community in order to combat prejudice. While most people in Serbia are tolerant towards refugees, the interaction with local communities remains low. There have been reported cases of migrants experiencing hostility, in particular from members of the community living near reception facilities. Initiatives to enable people to get to know each other are crucial to tackle this problem and build understanding within the receiving community.
10 _ UNHCR, Serbia: Inter-Agency Operational Update July-August 2017,( August 2017), https:// data2. unhcr. org / en / documents / download / 60086.
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