Mozambican migrant children’s access to education in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga : A case study of Buffelshoek Trust OVC educational support programme

M.A. (Development Studies)Abstract: Regardless of South Africa’s governmental and non-governmental efforts to provide basic education to children, there is a persisting hindrance for second-generation migrant OVC in rural areas to access education. It is common knowledge that the intersection of migration and education in rural contexts is under-researched. Nongovernmental organisations such as Buffelshoek Trust are implementing support programmes in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga in order to enhance access to education for OVC. Mpumalanga province is one of the poorest and most marginal parts of South Africa with an official unemployment rate of 69%. This study seeks to understand the experiences of migrant children in accessing education and the role that Buffelshoek Trust is playing in the process. While conceptualising the notion of migrant children, the research discovered that second generation migrant children from 13-18 years (especially undocumented and separated from biological caregivers), struggle to access education as a result of their lack of identity documentation, and experiences of discrimination and social exclusion. The study points to numerous gaps and shortfalls in international, regional and South African policies and programmes, in relation to migrant children’s access to education. The literature suggests that understanding the experiences of migrant children’s access to education in a rural context is crucial in informing decision-making and policy reformation. In-depth semistructured interviews were conducted with ten migrant children, their caregivers and four Buffelshoek Trust practitioners. Further, two focus group discussions with caregivers were also undertaken. The findings analysed through a relational framework, although non-generalisable, demonstrated that apart from the lack of identity documents, migrant families had poor access to health care, were stigmatised and experienced xenophobic sentiments while accessing education. Despite the help they received from the Buffelshoek Trust, access to education was a challenge for migrant children due to the multiple and overlapping vulnerabilities they faced. They were for example, often excluded from writing examinations or participating in school interventions regardless of the universal right to education. As a result of unreliable sources of income, parents/caregivers were not able to cater for the educational needs of their children. Hence, the socio-economic situation of migrant families negatively affected migrant children’s education. While the Buffelshoek Trust did not explicitly target migrant children, their involvement in the OVC support programme minimised barriers for these children and presented opportunities to be educated in an environment conducive to learning. The migrant children assisted by Buffelshoek Trust were able to attend school regularly and no longer experienced the same challenges, such as persistent hunger, that other migrant children not enrolled in Buffelshoek Trust supported schools faced. This study was important to highlight the barriers and opportunities of this generally hidden population and agentic responses of migrant children to their often-vulnerable situations