Humanity and National Interests on a Collision Course: School Access for Children of Irregular Immigrants.
SVR Info | April 2010
(Only available in German)
All children have a right to education. But children without residence status often do not attend school because they are afraid of being discovered. This information paper, which was created by the Expert Council for the Stiftung Mercator, is dedicated to the conflict between humanitarian requirements and national interests. It investigates the legal status quo in the German Laender, describes non-legal and administrative obstacles to school access and provides an estimate of the number of children without residence status in Germany. Finally, the Expert Council presents a range of recommendations for actors at federal, state and local level and for non-government actors. One of the core recommendations is the elimination of reporting requirements for school administrations and authorities.