Conference Agenda

This paper introduces the notion of ‘layers of recontextualisation’ to conceptualise complexities in the reshaping of the Global Inclusive Education Policy (GIEP), advocated and promulgated globally by UNESCO, according to contextual dynamics in Pakistan. GIEP concerns the 'ensemble' (Ball, 1993: p.14) of educational policies combating discrimination which are grounded in the Right to Education (United Nations, 1989). The term 'global' denotes the extent of these policies through endorsement by member states of the United Nations. We defined Inclusive Education (IE), as per UNESCO's (2019a) perspective on non-discrimination in education, as Education for All (EfA). Additionally, we assume an inherent link between social and educational inclusion (Felder, 2018). We present key findings that address our primary research question exploring the macro-level forces shaping GIEP in Pakistan following ratification by the Federal Government.

Our study established GIEP as situated in a tension between the structural-institutional image of states and their interpretative-plural practices. We demonstrate this using a 'collaborative' education reform initiative in Pakistan, involving the Government of Punjab and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DfID), called the Punjab Education Roadmap (PER), and two associated media packages. Through our analysis of in-depth interviews with elite policy actors we reveal the complex dynamics and disparate political agendas driving this reform effort.

While the PER set out to address Pakistan's educational challenges by improving school enrolments and reinforcing system accountability, our analysis exposes its entanglement in domestic and bilateral sociopolitical dimensions, including the War on Terror, aid accountability mechanisms, and local political intricacies rooted in political kinship, ultimately diluting the envisaged improvements. Our conclusion posits that GIEP is ensnared in three critical yet often overlooked layers: multilevel policy structures founded on societal divisions; patronage-based kinship networks; and the positioning of states within the international political economy.

Contrary to prevalent discourses framing educational exclusion as a mere 'policy-implementation gap,' we advocate for a nuanced understanding that considers the contextual complexities inherent in these layers of recontextualisation. By emphasising the entanglement of education policy within these layers, our analysis provides an alternative perspective to often oversimplified narratives of educational exclusion. Instead, we direct attention to the broader sociopolitical dynamics shaping state practices mediating education policy. In doing so, we contribute to a more comprehensive discourse on education exclusion, highlighting the multifaceted challenges associated with state-centric approaches in implementing global inclusive education policies. We stress the importance of a deeper understanding of the broader socio-political factors at play, challenging the perception of education policy as a purely 'technical' issue. Instead, we characterise the reshaping of GIEP in Pakistan as reflective of the politics of struggle, informality, and conflict in wider society, the outcome of which will unlikely reproduce the text of policy.

This paper has relevance for scholars interested in policy mobilities and the politics of education policy and governance in countries beyond the global North. It also offers insights of broader relevance to scholars studying education policies, especially those aligned with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Four (SDG4) in countries in receipt of ‘ Official Development Assistance’ (ODA) from ‘donor’ nations.

The importance of host-country language skills for educational success and socioeconomic mobility for migrant children is well documented. This research has mostly focused on immigrant students. The focus on return migrant children or “invisible outsiders” (Hoffmann, 2023) is more recent. Research indicates that, on average, students of return migrant background are likely to be at educational disadvantage compared to other groups of students (Hoffmann, 2023). Yet, the situation appears to vary from country to country and children with access to better resources appear to do well academically.

Proficiency of language of instruction is a prerequisite for educational success. Difficulties with the language of instruction contributes to lesser or negative educational outcomes for return migrant children (Kienzler et al., 2019; Zevulun et al., 2021). While research on older children and young people has found that difficulties in learning the language of the host country can have a noticeable impact on newly arrived young people's integration into their new school (Olliff & Couch, 2005; Sanagavarapu, 2010), there are studies and theories that challenge this and argue that there is no clear correlation between language acquisition and wellbeing at school. Apart from a lack of vocabulary and an accent, even more subtle nuances in communication can also hamper language proficiency – irony, humour and rhetorical questions in cultural and social contexts can all contribute to discomfort and stress, which only subsides when the speech patterns and pragmatic-rhetorical aspects of the language have been acquired (Zilka, 2021).

As an example of the way that host countries address migrant integration challenges, the struggles of migrant children in UK schools are in the process of being mitigated with targeted interventions. Thus, the informal role that schools play in helping migrant families to fit in needs to be recognised and local authorities need to provide adequate financial support to schools to hire dedicated EAL (English as an Additional Language) teachers or support staff where appropriate (Manzoni & Rolfe, 2019, p. 61). Initial familiarisation with the new family by the school is important so that each child's need for a tailor-made learning and support programme can be assessed from the start of their school career.

Building on these findings our research will explore education policy models that exist to support the learning of the local language of instruction among foreign-born or raised return migrant children. What are the experiences of return migrant families and their children navigating school under the existing language-of-instruction acquisition model? The current paper seeks to answer these questions. First, it compares how education policies in countries with a track record of return migration such as Finland, Estonia and Latvia support language learning among return migrant children. Second, it offers a bottom-up perspective of return families within the existing language-of-instruction acquisition support model in Latvia. The experiences of returnee children in school settings, particularly in the context of inclusive education, is an under-researched area and this study will, therefore, offer new insights and contribute to migration debates on return migration.