State parties to the Convention, and EU Member States, recognize the rights of the child to education on the basis of equal opportunity (Art. 28) and accept the obligation of providing free and compulsory primary education to all children. Greek and European policies have prevented children on the move from fully enjoying their right to education guaranteed by the UN CRC (Art. 28), EU (CFR Art. 14), and Greek law. Their discriminatory exclusion from schools in local communities, restrictions to their leaving camps and reception centers, and lack of capacity in reception-center classes, have been exacerbated by technical pandemic-related obstacles.
Two of our Greek partners have joined 30 civil society organizations in calling on Greek and EU decision-makers to take immediate action to end and remedy this process of “deschooling.” We join them in calling for a proactive approach to ensuring all children fully enjoy their rights, with special consideration for the practical obstacles to education facing children on the move.