Comparison of refugee education in Turkiye and Lithuania and a proposal of professional development program

Purpose: This study aims to compare refugee education practices in Lithuania, which has limited experience on refugees and refugee education, and Turkiye, which has longer experience on the subject, based on teachers' views. The main objective of the study is to develop professional development program for teachers for refugee education in line with the findings obtained. Method: The study adopted a qualitative approach and utilized a nested single case study design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with educators in both countries, analysis of educational policies. While criterion sampling and maximum variation sampling were used in Turkey, snowball sampling was used in Lithuania. The collected data were subjected to content analysis. Necessary coding was done in the content analysis and a meaningful data set was obtained with the emerging themes and categories. The findings were evaluated and reported in a way to answer the research questions. Results: The research findings show that there are significant differences between refugee education policies and practices in Turkey and Lithuania. While Turkey struggles with issues such as language barriers and cultural incompatibility, Lithuania faces challenges in integration and community acceptance. Findings from both countries emphasize the need for teacher training and inclusive education frameworks. Conclusion and Suggestions: The study concludes that it is critical to develop teacher training programs tailored to the needs of refugee education in both contexts. Recommendations include the development of multilingual and multicultural curricula, increased government support for refugee education, and educational activities for families. Keywords: Turkiye, Lithuania, Education policies, Refugee education, Integration, Multicultural education, Teacher training, Professional development.