By: V4 Agency
The strategy of transferring students with migrant backgrounds to other schools in an effort to improve learning outcomes and promote integration has not proved successful. None of the desired aims were achieved, instead, the institutions witnessed internal segregation and deteriorating academic results.
In Orebro, Sweden, a secondary school was closed in 2017 and the students, the majority of whom were of migrant background, were transferred to other schools in the area to promote integration and improve academic outcomes.
Researchers at Orebro University examined the results of the past years and found that the transfer of students from Vivallaskolan school failed to produce the desired results. Transferring students from one school to another did not automatically lead to intergration or the achievement of the other determined goals, the news portal Forskning pointed out.
One of the intended goals was to improve the academic results of Vivallaskolan students. The study revealed that on average, 42 per cent of the Vivallaskolan students successfully completed basic secondary school requirements after being transferred to the new schools, compared with 59 per cent previously.
However, the researchers also pointed out that it is too early to draw definitive conclusions, as receiving schools were of varying levels in terms of achievement. They noted that the arrival of the new students had no impact on the academic outcomes of the receiving schools’ students, nor on school choice tendencies.
Another goal was to improve the integration of the students as well as the affected groups. The study revealed a number of contrasting trends, for example, they found that although inner segregation emerged in the receiving schools, there were instances of students “building bridges” between groups. The researchers drew attention to the significance the approach of teachers had in these situations.
Overall, those teachers and schools that already had experience with heterogeneous student groups performed better in terms of strengthening integration, the researchers added.
Lastly, the report highlighted the key role schools have in countering segregation, while adding that they cannot be expected to solve the complex problems caused by segregation.