2020 Syria Regional Appeal - Syria -Education in Emergencies

Nine years of conflict have severely affected the provision of education services in Syria, with many school facilities destroyed and children experiencing displacement and dropping out of the education system. In response, in 2020, UNRWA will continue to provide quality, inclusive and equitable education services to up to 51,000 Palestine refugee children enrolled in 103 UNRWA schools located in Damascus, Rif Damascus, Aleppo, Hama, Homs, Latakia and Dera?a. A number of schools still operate on a double-shift basis. Since the beginning of the conflict, the number of UNRWA-managed schools has decreased from 118 to 103 in the 2019 / 2020 scholastic year, due to access constraints and damage or destruction. UNRWA will employ approximately 1,700 teachers, including daily paid teachers to cover possible gaps created by the conflict. The Agency will also continue its Education in Emergencies (EiE) interventions, including the maintenance and running of recreational spaces; the implementation of recreational activities, the provision of Summer Learning activities; the engagement of parents through awareness-raising sessions on violence / GBV, ERWs, and career guidance for their children; the strengthening of the identification and management of Psychosocial Support (PSS) cases in schools; and continued capacity-building for education staff. To address the anxiety and stress generated by the trauma of conflict, group and individual PSS counselling sessions facilitated by professional counsellors will be available throughout the academic year to students in UNRWA schools. School principals and teachers in UNRWA schools will continue to receive training on safety and security topics with the aim of enhancing preparedness and response to safety and security risks in schools. Training topics will include evacuation procedures, dealing with ERWs and mines, and tips on fire safety, in addition to live drills. Similar training sessions will also be provided to students, offering them basic survival skills and raising their awareness of security risks. In 2020, UNRWA will work towards the resumption of educational services in newly accessible areas or areas of increased returns, including Yarmouk/Yalda should conditions allow, and Dera?a and Ein el Tal camps. Construction works will be undertaken depending on the availability of funding to ensure students have access to safe and secure UNRWA premises. With the authorization received to carry out works in Dera?a camp, UNRWA will prioritize the reconstruction of schools in this area to ensure provision of education services to the increasing number of returning Palestine refugees.