Under the scholarship programme, which facilitates the access to tertiary education options in Mexico for refugees and asylum-seekers, 51 students were enrolled (60% of students were female and 40% male) by the end of 2019. Of them, 33 were from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, 8 from El Salvador and 4 from Honduras. The programme also benefited students from Nicaraguan, Colombia, Guatemala and Democratic republic of Congo. The Office also established a cooperation with the DAFI scholarship programme, which offered 29 scholarships in total.
UNHCR signed a small-scale partnership agreement with Proyecto Habesha, based in Aguascalientes. Through the partnership agreement, UNHCR sought to provide free admission to public and private universities in Aguascalientes for asylum-seekers and refugees, most of them from Central America and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Proyecto Habesha provided temporary accommodation and psychosocial support to students. The project also helped refugees in completing their revalidation of diplomas and degrees. Once refugees were admitted into a university programme, UNHCR provided monthly allowance support. In November 2019, Proyecto Habesha, World University Service of Canada (WUSC), UNHCR, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Mexico refugee commission COMAR organized a two-day conference on higher education opportunities for refugees in Mexico, with the participation of universities from several states. WUSC provided technical advice to Proyecto Habesha to strengthen the programme.
UNHCR rolled out 10 cash and voucher transfer support schemes, including five that supported education-related purposes (school enrolment, education certificates, recognition of diplomas issued in countries of origin, examination for upper secondary diploma, and tertiary education scholarship programme). Two schemes supported the enrollment in vocational training opportunities and skill for people of concern to UNHCR. Through this scheme, 2,160 children and adolescents were supported to cover school material, uniforms and other education-related costs.
UNHCR strengthened its collaboration with the National Institute for Adult’s Education (INEA), which offers accelerated programmes for adult learners to obtain certificates of primary and secondary education. INEA also operated programmes for 10 to 14-year-old children, who dropped out of school. Under the “Education without borders” programme, INEA included refugees and asylum-seekers at the national level. Together, INEA, UNHCR, COMAR, the national registration authority RENAPO, the immigration authority INM, and civil society partners carried out a video-conference session for INEA representatives in the 32 States to facilitate the inclusion of asylum-seekers and refugees in their programmes. Additionally, awareness raising materials were designed by INEA and printed by UNHCR to inform INEA officials on how to enroll refugees and asylum-seekers. 300 asylum-seekers and refugees were supported in obtaining primary and secondary education diplomas through accelerated courses for adult learners. 117 people of concern were supported in revalidating diplomas issued in countries of origin. UNHCR signed an agreement with 32 centers for industrial labor training (CECATI) to facilitate asylum-seekers and refugees’ access to vocational trainings. 646 refugees and asylum-seekers were supported in accessing vocational trainings and obtained diplomas, while 70 individuals were supported in accessing exams certifying skills and competencies. In order to create a favorable environment for people of concern to access education in Southern Mexico, UNHCR supported schools in Tapachula and Ciudad Hidalgo with 1,200 desks and 100 computers.