Many Iraqi Refugees Attending School in Syria
According to a press release issued by UNHCR on Tuesday, tens of thousands of Iraqi students are beginning school in Syria this month, and it is estimated that 1.4 million or more Iraqi refugees are now living in Syria. A survey of Syrian schools was taken to determine how many Iraqi students are attending them, finding that the enrollment of Iraqis in one school increased from five (last year) to over one-hundred at present.
The press release details the story of one Iraqi girl who became a refugee after three of her uncles were murdered and another was temporarily kidnapped. Her school in Baghdad, where she had been among the top students, had ceased functioning. She expressed the desire to eventually return to Iraq, as well as gratitude for being able to study in Syria.
The UNHCR is providing such assistance to Syrian schools as transportation, additional teacher salary payment, and temporary classrooms. It is expected to have provided twenty million dollars in aid to Syria's Ministry of Education by the end of 2007, to help cope with this situation. The government plans to construct eight new schools by the beginning of the 2008 school year. Also, the Syrian Red Crescent has assisted in the distribution of school uniforms to Iraqi refugees.
A news story issued by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (also on Tuesday) indicated that the Syrian Education Minister met with the UNHCR's Goodwill Ambassador Adel Imam, who spoke of the U.N. commission's appreciation for Syria's measures toward accommodating Iraqi students and other refugees. The Syrian official called for enhanced cooperating between the Ministry and the UNHCR. Another news story from the same source reported that the Deputy Foreign Minister of Syria met with him as well, pointing out the efforts taken to meet Iraqi refugees' needs and calling upon the international community to provide additional aid to countries which are hosting Iraqi refugees.
According to the UNHCR web site, the agency was created by the United Nations General Assembly in 1950 so as to offer assistance and protection to refugees, including those who were displaced by World War II in Europe.
Sources:
1. UNHCR, http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/46e688804.html
2. UNHCR, http://www.unhcr.org/basics/BASICS/420cc0432.html
3. SANA, http://www.sana.org/eng/21/2007/09/11/138755.htm
4. SANA, http://www.sana.org/eng/21/2007/09/11/138753.htm
Published by Z. Perry
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