Policies

Back to Learning

Context and Issue

As the new school year commences in Syria amidst ongoing conflict, nearly 4,000 schools, representing one in five, have been damaged, destroyed, or repurposed to shelter internally displaced families. Over the past year, almost two million Syrian children aged 6-15 have discontinued their education due to displacement and violence. In response to this crisis, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and various partners, UNICEF has initiated a Back to Learning campaign targeting one million conflict-affected primary school-aged children.

Solution

The Back to Learning campaign aims to enhance the enrollment of internally displaced children, many of whom have missed multiple years of schooling. UNICEF distributes school bags containing essential stationery to one million children across all 14 governorates of Syria. Educational resources such as teaching-learning kits, recreation kits, and Early Childhood Education kits are also being provided. To address the needs of children unable to attend school due to conflict, UNICEF has devised a home-based self-learning program targeting around 400,000 affected children. This innovative initiative, tailored for lower primary school students, focuses on core subjects like Arabic, English, Mathematics, and Science, supplemented with textbooks and training for teachers and parents to facilitate self-learning.

Impact

Efforts to reach communities through public messages via various mediums aim to encourage children to return to education. However, significant financial support is required to expand educational access for more children within Syria. Despite UNICEF's appeal for $110 million for its work in Syria, only $16 million has been received, falling short of the $33 million requested explicitly for education.

Analysis

The Back to Learning campaign, spearheaded by UNICEF, underscores the urgent need to address Syrian children's educational challenges amidst conflict. While the initiative aims to mitigate the disruption caused by displacement and violence, the limited funding presents a significant barrier to providing comprehensive support. Ensuring access to education for all children in Syria demands sustained investment and collaboration from the international community to address this critical humanitarian need.