Integration within national documents: An examination of early childhood education curriculum of five high-achieving countries of MIPEX

Abstract

International migration, although interrupted slightly by the travel restrictions due to Covid-19, is still quite common and influential resulting in cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity within countries. Designing educational settings that meet the needs of a diverse population is crucial in promoting integration of migrant newcomers. By promoting integration through specific policies, countries may eliminate inequality, poverty, and injustice. National documents can provide information that represents these policies. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the early childhood education curriculum of the top five countries ranked in the educational integration domain of the Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX). Document analysis method was used to determine the reflections of integration policy. It was concluded that integration is promoted through target curricula by specific focus on democratic and humanitarian values and rights. Also, flexibility of the curricula allowed practitioners to adapt their practices based on local needs. Thus, according to these results, several implications were provided for future research and practice.