Remedial classes put Syrian displaced back on track

By: Vivian Tou’meh   |  22 September 2016

Due to the displacement and insecurity across the country, thousands of Syrian children missed a great part of school , or were unable to cope with the consequences of long absences from schools. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency in Syria accelerated educational program supports students’ return to an interrupted education and acts as an effective deterrent mechanism from dropping out.

“As the number of people forcibly displaced by conflict and violence rises, demand for education naturally grows”

UNHCR High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi highlighted the urgency of providing  those who were forced to leave their homes with the education they need in the recently released report MISSING OUT: Refugee Education in Crisis,  “As the number of people forcibly displaced by conflict and violence rises, demand for education naturally grows”, Said Grandi.

Omar, 19-year-old Syrian, registered at the remedial classes at a community centre supported by UNHCR in Damascus. Omar passed his exams this year in the ninth grade after being dropped- out of school for almost six years. Today, Omar is going to apply for the baccalaureate and is dreaming of future.

Omar passed his exams this year in the ninth grade after being dropped- out from school for almost six years. Today, Omar is going to apply for the baccalaureate

“Now, I feel doors are open for me, I can dream about a good future after a long time of distress”, Omar says.

Omar’s father died when he was in seventh grade, which forced him to drop out of school and search for a job to help his mother and his sister. He worked in several places to provide an income for his poor family. He worked in restaurants, shops, offices cleaning and many other jobs. By chance, a friend of his, told him about the remedial classes that can help him continue his education.

“The timing is perfect. Finally, I can apply for my baccalaureate, it is like a dream” says Omar.

According to the 2016 Humanitarian Response for Syria, 25 percent of schools have been damaged or are being used as collective shelters and over two million children and adolescents are out of school since the beginning of the crisis. Through education partners, UNHCR continues to implement its educational programme striving to achieve the overarching goal of the Education Sector in ensuring access to safe equitable education for children and adolescents affected by the crisis in Syria. In 2016, the total number of UNHCR’s education partners reached to 13 partners implementing education-related activities inside community centers, shelters and public schools.

Omar and Abdullah, registered at the remedial classes at one of the community centres supported by UNHCR in Damascus. They both passed their exams this year in the ninth grade after being dropped- out from school for almost six years.

Abdullah’s favorite subject at school is Math and his dream is to become a Math teacher. The past few years have been difficult; the ongoing crisis had forced him travel outside the country in search for a job to help his family. And his education was disrupted. After attending the remedial classes, Abdullah passed the ninth grade, and now he is back on track.

“I want to continue my education” Abdullah says “I should be in college now, but in the past years I was unable to attend school and to afford the expenses.”

For displaced families, the situation is perhaps even more challenging. The issue of disrupted education is a common one; they know the value of education for their children’s future, even if it does mean going back to school in the most difficult of circumstances. Omar describes the moments when his mother learnt about his success,

“My mother was so surprised when she saw my certificate, for her it was unbelievable”, says Omar.

Thousands of children and adolescents in Syria are simply unable to continue their education. The UNHCR accelerated education program aims to enhance their capacity and to follow the curriculum and pass the final exams. It also helps those who dropped out of school to catch up with what they missed during their displacement. UNHCR has launched this program in 2008 targeting children of both refugees and host communities.

UNHCR’s 13 education partners are implementing education-related activities inside community centers, shelters and public schools.

With the Syria crisis, the program targeted both internally displaced and refugees children. In 2016, over  30,860 internally displaced and 860 refugee students were enrolled in UNHCR’s accelerated learning programme in primary and secondary education in Damascus, Rural-Damascus, Homs, Tartous, Aleppo, Swaida, Hasakeh and Daraa Governorates.