Syria War New Government

7,900 Schools Missing Ahead of School Start in Syria

As the Syrian school year begins on Sunday, 2.4 million children will be without a school place. 7,900 school buildings – almost half of the schools – have been destroyed in the war or are being used as shelters for internally displaced people, Education Minister Mohammed Turko told the news site Enab Baladi.

The authorities are not having time to equip and staff schools at the same rate as the student population is growing – an additional 1.5 million students returning after living as refugees abroad are expected to need school places during the coming school year.

Student Weam has returned to Syria: “I am ashamed of my poor Arabic”

For many of the students who returned to Syria after several years of being refugees, language is a problem, writes the Syrian news site Enab Baladi.

“I am ashamed of my poor Arabic when I answer the teacher, and I am afraid of being teased by my classmates,” says high school student Weam Baddi, who was among the best in her class during her years as a refugee in Turkey and is now worried about whether she will be able to take her matriculation exam.

Similar problems are common among returning students, several educators tell the news site.

“There is no plan from the authorities for how schools should deal with this group. It is entirely up to the teachers,” says private school teacher Lamia Kakhi.

According to her, reintegration is made more difficult by differences in pedagogy and curriculum between Syria and the countries from which the students return. For many of the children, it is also difficult to adapt socially after several years abroad.