Challenges For Syrian Refugee Students In Accessing Formal Education
Language Barriers
Several subjects in the Lebanese curriculum are taught in either French or English, as opposed to the all-Arabic curriculum the students were used to in Syria, making it difficult for Syrian refugee students to catch up.
Transportation
Many additional second shift programs were opened in Lebanese schools over the past years, especially in areas with a high number of refugees. However, for many students the distance to school and lack of transportation is still a barrier for attendance as transportation is only provided to the most vulnerable refugees and those living 2.5 kilometres or more from the nearest school.
Years Out Of School
Being out of school for one or more years makes it more difficult for students to go back to school. The Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP) was launched to help students catch up with the Lebanese educational curriculum before enrolling back in school.
Hightened Economic Vulnerability
Increased economic vulnerability leads to high drop-out rate among children aged 14 and above who tend to prioritize work over education in order to improve household income.
Introduction
After being displaced by war in their home country, for many Syrian refugee children in Lebanon, enrollment in Lebanese public schools is their only chance to continue their accredited education. As early as 2012, the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) generously opened the doors of Lebanese public schools for Syrian refugee students. This has given Syrian children the valuable opportunity to continue their education.
Since the onset of the crisis, MEHE has worked hard to make sure Syrian refugee students could attend school. Initially, students were enrolled in the regular morning shift, going to school side-by-side with their Lebanese peers. However, as their numbers grew, MEHE and UNHCR worked together in 2013 to launch an additional shift that runs in the afternoon from 2:00 to 6:00 pm, the so-called second shift. The second shift was created to accommodate a higher number of Syrian refugee children in Lebanese public schools. These efforts contribute to MEHE’s strategy of Reaching all Children with Education in Lebanon (R.A.C.E.). R.A.C.E. aims to reach all school-aged children in Lebanon, including over 200,000 refugee children, with formal and accredited education opportunities.
At the end of January 2016, over 472,000 Syrian refugee children between the ages of 3 and 17 were registered with UNHCR in Lebanon. Of these, 157,984 students are enrolled in formal education for the 2015-2016 academic year in grades 1 to 9. Attending public school and receiving certified education is often the only chance for these children to obtain internationally recognized diplomas, which will be essential to continue their schooling in Lebanon or elsewhere.
UNHCR has played an important role in ensuring access for Syrian students to schools, and making sure they stay in school. This is done through different community-based activities – actively involving the community, parents and children – and outreach and awareness-raising efforts. Through a community-based approach UNHCR has worked with partners nationwide to provide information about the importance of education, opportunities for enrollment and support to retention in school.
UNHCR’s activities have been made possible by the generous donations and support from the international donor community. In Lebanon UNHCR’s education activities have been supported by the European Union, France, Germany and private donors.