Migration, Marginality and Education: A Narrative Literature Review on Exploring Educational Challenges for Afghan Migrants in Host Society of Pakistan

Abstract

This narrative literature review aimed to review the existing literature concerning the education challenges of Afghan migrants in host societies specifically within the Pakistani context. Most of the literature reviews focused on developed countries' education systems and have rare considerations on refugee education, in addition, most of the refugee studies were done in Western countries and paid less attention to developing countries such as Pakistan. This study focused on the education barrier specifically Afghan migrants in Pakistan. This study analyzes various peer-reviewed journal articles, policy reports, and grey literature to uncover the major obstacles that prevent Afghan migrants from getting education services effectively. The findings are categorized into five thematic areas: legal and documentation barriers, economic constraints, cultural and linguistic challenges, institutional barriers, and community and informal networks. The analysis shows how undocumented immigration status together with stringent policy frameworks cause major impediments to Afghan migrant students' university entrance processes. Educational inequalities increase substantially for female students due to both financial difficulties and poverty which are intensified by severe economic problems. Afghan students face increased academic difficulties and higher school dropout rates because immigration rules and economic struggles and language barriers give them unequal treatment. Institutional problems that include crammed classrooms unqualified teachers and biased educational systems make migrant students feel excluded from school systems. The Afghan migrant communities show remarkable resilience through the establishment of alternative educational efforts and organized investment programs yet receive limited recognition from official institutions and face scalability challenges. The research concludes that Afghan migrants need legally binding policies, upgraded educational facilities, and culturally sensitive educational approaches to provide every Afghan migrant with equal access to education. The analysis discusses three groups of stakeholders (policymakers alongside educators and NGOs) to demonstrate why they must implement comprehensive multi-level interventions against these persistent barriers to education access. The research provides essential understanding to shape the academic discussions about migration combined with education alongside social equity and paves the way for effective reforms supporting minority migrant learners.