Exclusion within Inclusive Education Policy: The Challenges Facing Urban Refugees in Accessing Education in Thailand

Despite Thailand’s adoption of the Education for All policy in 2005, which grants all children, including refugees, access to free public education, refugee children largely remain excluded. Camp-based refugees attend informal, unrecognized education programs, while urban refugee children are categorised with migrant children in enrollment data. In 2023, only 34% of legal migrant children were enrolled in public schools, while refugees—often classified as "illegal migrants"—are either left out or attend unofficial community schools. This study examines the gap between policy and practice by exploring the experiences of urban refugees and perspectives of key stakeholders, including refugees, government agencies, and humanitarian organizations. Using an analytical framework, it investigates access to public education, service providers’ perceptions, and the implementation of inclusive education. The research employs a systematic literature review, focusing on three components: data collection from existing literature, analysis of educational barriers for urban refugees, and evaluation of policy implementation challenges. The findings highlight issues of political exclusion, policy misalignment, and practical obstacles in integrating refugees into formal education. By identifying tensions between education and refugee policies in Thailand, this study contributes to both academic research and policy discussions. It advocates for a comprehensive policy review to ensure refugees have access to formal, recognized education, aligning with Thailand’s commitment to Education for All.