Fares lives in Jordan, where the high number of Syrian refugees – hundreds of thousands – has put pressure on the country’s already strained infrastructure. Schools in particular suffer: some now have to operate in two shifts to accommodate the overwhelming increase of both Syrian and Jordanian students. This problem is even more evident in northern cities like Irbid, close to the border with Syria and home to one of the largest populations of Syrian refugees in Jordan.
The issue of schools operating in two shifts is not the only hurdle. Schools often cannot receive more students, leaving the children and their families with no option but to register in faraway schools, if they are lucky to find space. Moreover, schools now have to accommodate larger numbers of students for longer hours, putting more pressure on their facilities than what they were built to accommodate.
Expansion, expansion, expansion
To address these issues, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has developed an education programme for local schools with a high rate of Syrian refugee students.
Through this project, developed together with the Jordanian Ministry of Education and funded by the Norwegian government and UNICEF, NRC is working to help expand overcrowded schools. We’re supporting construction work and are collaborating with schools’ management teams to address the specific challenges they’re facing with this influx of students.
In total, the project has helped expand five schools throughout Irbid. It is alleviating some of the pressure off schools by reducing the number of students per classroom, and enabling both Syrian refugee students and Jordanian students to go to formal schools, often nearer to their homes, instead of commuting to farther schools.
These five schools in Irbid now boast 40 fully furnished classrooms, six sanitation facilities and six playgrounds. In total, the project has created 1,440 spaces for new students.
Easing parents’ burdens
The project has also reduced the economic burden on the parents. Fares explains that because there is now a new school closer to home, he’s saving money on transportation fees. His children no longer need to go to a school in another village.
“I believe that the location of the school will help them improve in their studies,” he says.
Renewing engagement
The school expansion has also had another positive, social effect.
As a member of the parent committee at his children’s new school, Fares works on many initiatives to motivate children to return to school and to encourage attendance and participation in afterschool activities. He sees that it’s working.
He has observed that members of the local community have started to join school events. And he notices another trend: “The new educational technology and equipment motivated students who had dropped out to return to school.”
"I’m more excited about the new school than my kids,” he admits. “I go to every parents’ meeting.”
I’m more excited about the new school than my kids. I go to every parents’ meeting.
