Europe – Children of the first wave of migrant workers who arrived in Europe in the 1950s and '60s are doing worse in school than their peers in their countries of origin, reports de Volkskrant.

This negative effect is not limited to children of migrant workers from Mediterranean. Children born to French or German immigrants also do worse than their counterparts in France or Germany.

However, the reverse is true in the United States and Canada, said educational sociologists Jaap Dronkers and Manon de Heus who conducted research into the educational achievements of migrant children.

In an interview with the paper, Dronkers said: “The wait-and-see attitude of a society seeps through into its educational system. In many European countries, migrants are asked: Do you really belong here?

“In countries such as the United States, Canada and New Zealand everybody is factually an immigrant. They have a much more open attitude towards newcomers. At the same time they impose restrictions: only people who stand a chance in the labour market are admitted. This means that those who do arrive are well-motivated”.

The sociologist will present their findings at the European University Institute in Florence later this week.

Radio Netherlands / Georg Schreuder Hes / Expatica