Attachments
11,965 children attended accelerated education programmes
6,706 children attended homework cafés
88 university scholarships granted for refugee students
Context
The negative impact of the crisis in Syria on the protection and well-being of internally displaced, returnees, host community, and refugee children is significant. Access to and quality of education is severely limited across the country, with many schools destroyed in addition to a severe shortage of teachers. The damage to schools has resulted in an acute need for additional learning spaces throughout the country for children from the refugee, internally displaced, returnee, and host communities.
DAFI scholarships
The DAFI (Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative) scholarship programme offers qualified refugee students the possibility to earn an undergraduate degree in their country of asylum. In Syria, the DAFI programme supports refugees’ university studies by covering the annual tuition fees and a pocket money. For the 2023-2024 academic year, in partnership with the Ministry of Higher Education, UNHCR supported 88 refugee students enrolled in Syrian public universities.
Accelerated learning programmes
Accelerated learning programmes (remedial, catch-up, and summer classes) support refugee, internally displaced and returnee children to prepare for mid-year and final exams. The accelerated learning programmes also support out-of-school children to re-enrol in the formal education system. During the reporting period, 11,965 children attended accelerated education programmes, assisting them to catch-up on missed classes and to re-enter school.
Homework cafés
UNHCR provides homework support for children visiting community centres. By the end of June, a total of 6,706 children attended homework café activities, with teachers assisting them in completing their homework.
UNHCR support of the national exam
As part of the support provided by the humanitarian agencies participating in the Education Sector to the 9th and 12th students sitting for the 2024 national exam period, mainly those traveling to areas under the control of the government (including for those coming from Lebanon) UNHCR provided protection and education support that included:
• Remedial sessions and stationery kits to around 1,524 students in Aleppo, Deir-ez-Zor and Rural Damascus Governorates. The sessions were an opportunity for students to review their subjects with the support of qualified teachers.
• Legal services provided in cooperation with civil registries: A total of 4,257 9th grade students received legal assistance and successfully obtained their personal IDs. These students also received legal awareness sessions, legal counselling and legal aid to rectify their civil events at the civil registry.
• All students in the 45 accommodation centres benefited from mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services, delivered by counsellors and supported by UNHCR teams. These services included awareness-raising sessions and psychological counselling.
• Mine Risk Education awareness sessions and recreational activities were provided to students and their companions.
• A total of 181 dignity kits were distributed to female students and their female companions in Aleppo.