Realities of school ‘integration’: insights from Syrian refugee students in Jordan’s double-shift schools

Recent agendas have sought to encourage governments to integrate refugees into national education systems. However, clearer nuances of integration and examples of positive and negative approaches are necessary to help understand the effects of policies on students’ learning and well-being. This article explores the perceptions of Syrian refugee students who have been integrated into Jordan’s schools through the double-shift system. Drawing on a broader study which explored students’ perceptions through semi-structured interviews, this article illustrates how educational settings have shaped students’ perceptions of their spaces, learning, and aspirations. It portrays the issues that arise from a system that formally integrates refugee students in formal school while keeping them physically and socially segregated from native students. By shedding light on the ways in which educational spaces enhance or reduce differences between societies, this article argues that harmonized policies, structures, and practices are essential for inclusive and equal learning opportunities.