The Australian refugee education policyscape: why it is so fragmented, inconsistent and problematic

Australia’s refugee education policy development occurs within a fragmented and evolving landscape, shaped by competing priorities, historical precedents, and shifting political and economic contexts. While English language acquisition has dominated policy discourse, emphasis on policies for wellbeing and inclusion have gained prominence in recent years. However, significant gaps persist, leaving educators to navigate inconsistent and often ambiguous policy frameworks. Drawing on critical policy analysis and interviews with 12 policymakers in Australia, this study explores the tensions, constraints, and influences shaping policies that affect the education of refugee-background students and highlights the contested nature of policymaking in this area. Utilising the policyscape framework, we identify how policies interact, evolve, and are influenced by broader national and international education and migration discourses, as well as historical and institutionalised practices. Findings reveal that specific refugee education policies in Australia are largely absent or reactive, leaving a refugee education policy vacuum. In this vacuum, local actors work reactively in response to evolving student cohorts, defaulting to historical and institutionalised practice, while education policy development is driven by international trends towards universal rather than targeted approaches. This study calls for a more proactive, research-informed, and equity-driven approach to refugee education and policy development in Australia.