Attachments
Executive Summary
The 6th edition of the thematic report "Schools in Northern Syria Camps" examines the state of the education sector within camps located in areas outside the control of the Syrian regime in northwestern Syria. This assessment takes into account the prolonged war that has persisted for over a decade. The report specifically focuses on evaluating the conditions of schools within these camps during the academic year 2022-2023. In addition, the report highlights the influence of the ongoing conflict in Syria and the resultant displacement in the education sector. It should be noted that this report is an annual study released by the IMU, covering all schools in displacement camps in northwestern Syria.
Section One: Methodology
The methodology employed in this report builds upon previous editions of the study conducted in previous years under the sametitle, "Schools in Northern Syria Camps." The study utilizes a combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches to gather and present data pertaining to the evaluated schools. This comprehensive methodology ensures a thorough analysis of the educational situation within the camps. IMU's enumerators conducted visits to a total of 149 camps located in areas outside the control of the Syrian regime in northwestern Syria. The purpose of these visits was to ascertain the presence of schools within the camps and to gather relevant information regarding them. It was found that 1,270 camps do not contain schools, and 189 camps contain schools. A total of 1,516 electronic forms were collected, encompassing questionnaires that assessed the state of the schools. These forms included 1,219 questionnaires specifically designed to gather insights from teachers, school principals, students, and their parents. The design and development of the questionnaires utilized in this study were primarily informed by the feedback received by the ACU's IMU. This feedback was obtained through a workshop organized by the ACU in collaboration with representatives from the Turkish government, members of the education sector, representatives of international NGOs, and representatives of Syrian NGOs. The workshop took place in the city of Gaziantep in August 2018.
Section Two: General Information
This edition of the report "Schools in Northwestern Syria Camps" within Idleb and Aleppo governorates encompasses a total of 208 schools located within the camps that are included in the study. IMU enumerators visited a total of 1,459 camps in the Aleppo and Idleb governorates to carry out this assessment. Among these camps, schools were found to be present in 189 camps only. The study's findings indicate that within the assessed camp schools, 64% of the total student population (54,055 students) reside within a distance of less than 500 meters from their residence. Additionally, 28% (23,322 students) live between a distance of 500 meters to 1 kilometer from their homes, while 8% (7,084 students) reside more than 1 kilometer away from their places of residence. Based on the obtained results, it was discovered that all schools within the camps included in this report are officially registered with a recognized authority.
Section Three: School Buildings
According to the results, it was observed that within the northern Syrian camps covered in this study, 22% (50 schools) of the school structures are comprised of one or more tents. Additionally, 21% (48 schools) are constructed using prefabricated rooms or commonly known as caravans. Furthermore, 20% (47 schools) consist of concrete rooms with concrete roofs, while 15% (35 schools) are housed in regular school buildings. Moreover, 9% (21 schools) are concrete rooms with roofs made of zinc sheets, 7% (16 schools) areconcrete rooms covered with rain insulators, 5% (11 schools) are large rug halls ( large tents), and 2% (4 schools) are clay rooms. The total number of classrooms within the camp schools was 1,936.
The results of the study showed that 72% (2,151 windows) of the total windows within the camp schools surveyed are in good condition and do not need any repairs, 19% (566 windows) need repairs, and 9% (284 windows) need to be replaced. It also found that 83% (1,793 doors) of the total doors within the camp schools surveyed do not need any repairs, 13% (277 doors) need repairs, and 4% (90 doors) need to be replaced.
Section Four: Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Schools According to the study results, it was found that 78% (163 schools) of the assessed camp schools get drinking water through water trucks. Additionally, 11% (23 schools) receive water from the public network, while 6% (12 schools) access water from nearby wells located adjacent to the school. Furthermore, 1% (3 schools) source water from nearby locations or neighboring tents. In one school, a well was found within the premises. However, it was noted that 3% (6 schools) do not have access to water, and in such cases, students bring water from their homes.
The assessment revealed that a total of 379 water taps in the schools within the camps of northern Syria need to be replaced.
Additionally, the number of individual toilets in the assessed camp schools amounted to 894 toilets. The study results indicate that 84% (755 toilets) of the toilets in the camp schools are in good functional condition. Furthermore, 12% (105 toilets) require minor repairs such as replacing water taps, locks, and doors or carrying out cleaning to ensure proper functionality. Of these, 4% (34 latrines) require complete rehabilitation or replacement. The results of the study showed that 46% (95 schools) of the total camp schools covered in the study contain toilets that dispose of wastewater into the regular sewage network, 51% (107 schools) dispose of wastewater into irregular septic tanks, and 3% (six schools only) dispose of wastewater in the open.
Section Five: School Equipment (School Furniture -Educational Equipment):
The study results indicate that among the schools included in the study, only one school was found to lack desks, resulting in students having to sit on the ground. However, a total of 207 schools were equipped with desks for students. Within the camp schools included in the study, it was found that 88% (21,638 seats) of the total school desks are in usable condition. However, 9% (1,802 seats) require repairs, and 7% (1,183 seats) have sustained significant damage and need to be replaced entirely. The total needs of the camp schools included in the assessment amounted to 4,278 desks, and the highest percentage of the needs was concentrated in the Sarmada camps cluster.
The study results showed that 88% (183 schools) of the schools surveyed needed 279 computers. 87% (182 schools) of the schools need 204 printers. The study findings indicate that 79% (165 schools) of the schools within the camps reported a requirement for 231 projectors. Additionally, 69% (145 schools) expressed the need for 635 whiteboards for instructional purposes. 59% (124 schools) of schools need 773 heaters in winter.
The study revealed that only 10% (21 schools) had secured all their heating fuel requirements for the 2022-2023 school year. In 20% (42 schools) of the cases, between 76% and 99% of their heating fuel needs are available. Within the schools assessed, it was found that 18% (38 schools) are able to provide less than half of their heating fuel requirements, while 19% (39 schools) are able to provide less than a quarter of their heating fuel needs. 24% (50 schools) did not have any heating fuel.
Section Six: School stages are curricula
The study results indicate that among the camp schools included in the study, 22% (45 schools) exclusively provide education for the first cycle of basic education. Furthermore, 70% (146 schools) offer education for both the first and second cycles of basic education.
Additionally, 4% (9 schools) provide education for all school stages, including the first and second cycles of basic education as well as secondary education. Only 1% (two schools) focus on teaching the second cycle of basic education, and 3% (6 schools) provide education for both the second cycle of basic education and the secondary stage. Among the surveyed teachers in camp schools, 37% (87 teachers) reported instances of older students bullying younger students. Furthermore, it was discovered that 80% (167 schools) of the camp schools have successfully completed over 76% of the curriculum planned for students during the previous school year.
The total requirement for textbook copies in the camp schools covered by the study amounted to 34,204 copies, addressing the students' educational needs.
Section Seven: Students
The total number of students in the camps included in the study amounted to 84,224. Among them, females represented 52% (43,968 students) of the total student population within the camp schools covered by the study, while males accounted for 48% (40,256 students) of the overall student count. Among the registered students in the assessed camp schools, the largest age group is comprised of students aged 6-10 years, accounting for 69% (58,243 students) of the total student population. Students aged 11-12 constitute 19% (16,690 students), while students aged 13-15 make up 9% (7,731 students). Students aged 16-18 constitute only 2% (1,437) of the total registered students. The primary home-related challenge faced by students in the camp schools was the engagement of children in work outside the home, which resulted from the deteriorating economic and living conditions caused by the ongoing war in Syria. Neglect from parents and their failure to monitor their children's educational progress ranked second among the difficulties.
The third challenge was the lack of financial resources to support children's education. Lastly, assisting the child with household chores or farm work was identified as the fourth challenge faced by students in the camps. In terms of school-related challenges encountered by students, overcrowded classrooms emerged as the primary difficulty. The second concern was the shortage of materials, including books and stationery. Finally, inadequate school conditions, such as a lack of toilets, electricity, and furniture, were identified as the third major challenge faced by students in the camps.
Section 8: Psychological Support and Children with Disabilities
Within the camp schools assessed, there were a total of 725 students with disabilities. The study results revealed that the highest percentage of students with disabilities (45% or 326 students) experienced motor disabilities. In terms of psychosocial support, it was found that 38% (78 schools) of the evaluated camp schools did not have teachers who had received training in this field. Additionally, 90% (188 schools) of the assessed camp schools lacked specialized psychological counselors. In this section, the study presents the findings of opinion polls conducted with students, focusing on important issues related to emotions, interactions, and self-awareness among the student population Section Nine: Teachers The total number of teachers in the camps included in the study was 3,091. Among them, females comprised 48% (1,493 teachers) of the overall teacher count in the northern Syrian camps. The study findings indicated that 90% (2,792 teachers) of the teachers in the evaluated camp schools received salaries from multiple sources during the school year 2022-2023. However, 10% (299 teachers) did not receive any salaries during that period. According to the surveys conducted, a significant majority of teachers, specifically 98% (231 teachers), expressed that their salaries do not meet the demands of their daily lives.
Section Ten: Cholera Prevention Methods and Procedures
This section focuses on the implementation of precautionary measures within schools to mitigate the spread of cholera. The study revealed that 60% of schools surveyed lacked an adequate supply of cleaning materials and soap. Additionally, the findings indicated that awareness campaigns on cholera prevention measures were conducted in only 65% (136 schools) of the schools assessed.
Section Eleven: Priorities and Recommendations
Among the priorities identified in most camp schools, the foremost need was heating fuel. Following that, the need for notebooks and stationery was highlighted, emphasizing the importance of adequate learning materials. Lastly, supporting staff salaries was recognized as another significant priority for the schoolsand the need to secure textbooks and rehabilitate schools