Turkey has a refugee population from Syria that numbers more than 2 million of which nearly 700,000 are children says a new study from Human Rights Watch. These children have very restricted access to school with many now having missed as many as three years of education. Concern Worldwide is working hard to deal with the problem and is working with other agencies to provide some form of education for thousands of children in temporary education centres.
A lost generation
A problem that has been highlighted is the possibility of a “lost generation” of children who have not had access to education. Going to school is incredibly important for normalising the life of children following a crisis and helps mitigate psychological impacts. Going to school gives children a schedule to stick to and also the opportunity to play with others allowing them to just be normal children.
Children of Peace
Concern Worldwide has been helping thousands of Syrian children stranded in Turkey restart their education this year. The organisation has been working with the Turkish Ministry of Education to provide temporary education centres for Syrian children to be taught in. The programme is helping to get more refugee children back to school as well as provide incentive payments and training for Syrian teachers so they can offer psychosocial support for children.
A Brighter Future
Fadil Ahmadi a school principal from Syria says the project has given the refugee community a new sense of hope. Mr. Ahmadi says refugee children were lost, but Concern has managed to bring them from the street back into the classroom so that they get the chance to have a brighter future. The children say they enjoy coming to school and they like the teachers. They say they are extremely happy to be back at school so they can get an education and study with their friends.
