Syrian refugee children made to feel welcome at Turkish school
Education funding, Education in emergencies
鶹APP
Getting ready for a lesson to start atIstoc Primary School Pictures: A World at School/Tyler Zang
They are sprinkled throughout the school 鶹APP no more than two in each classroom.
Syrian refugee children whose families fled the conflict sit alongside Turkish children at Istoc Primary School at Bagcilar, a suburb of Istanbul.
The school is crowded and operates a double-shift system to allow more children to be educated. But the Syrian students have been welcomed by the teachers, parents and other children.
The charity visited Istoc Primary just after the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul in late May.
Students on the morning shift sit two to a desk
鶹APPWhat struck me was the goodwill of the Turkish people in welcoming Syrian refugee children,鶹APP said 鶹APP President Sarah Brown.
鶹APPRight now they have included just a couple of refugee children in each class. But everyone knows that if significant funding that has been promised by the EU and others comes through, then many more Syrian children will need to be fitted into an already busy school.
鶹APPFunding will be needed for teachers, classrooms, learning materials, even school uniforms 鶹APP and not forgetting something nutritious to eat to aid all that learning.鶹APP
Istoc Primary is the type of school the Turkish government wants Syrian refugee children to attend. They have promised that by 2017 one million Syrian children will be in their schools 鶹APP more than twice the current number.
The 鶹APP visitors see a classroom in action
That costs money and Turkey has already spent more than $8 billion on the refugee crisis 鶹APP more than any other country.
At the World Humanitarian Summit, the . It aims to help millions of children whose education has been disrupted by humanitarian emergencies including wars and natural disasters.
鶹APP has been at the forefront of pushing for the fund 鶹APP and now world leaders need to show their commitment by reaching the fund鶹APPs target of £$3.85 billion over the next five years.
Additional funding would mean countries bordering Syria 鶹APP including Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan 鶹APP could do more to help schools likeIstoc Primary.
Syrians have been welcomed by Turkish children and teachers
With 1785 children and 72 teachers in 29 classrooms, it runs a morning shift from 7.30am to 12.20 pm and an afternoon shift from 12.40 to 5.30pm.
Sarah added: 鶹APPAs we are in the holy month of Ramadan, Muslim families treat this as a special time for giving and sharing 鶹APP and education is the greatest gift.
鶹APPWhile a bit nervous about the impact of lots of change, there is a willingness from adults and children alike to accommodate their neighbours who have seen such atrocities and fled their homes with so little.
鶹APPSchool is now out for the summer holidays and many refugee children will be working to bring in small amounts of income for their families or sit idle in the cities and camps.
A Syrian boy who is attending lessons atIstoc Primary
鶹APPLet鶹APPs hope that school funding for Syrian refugees is sorted across Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon and wherever it is needed so that the planning can start to accommodate every child.
鶹APPThe communities stand ready to go but let鶹APPs see the powers-that-be unlock the funding and make it all happen.鶹APP
Also on the visit toIstoc Primary with 鶹APP were the (PPL) and .
Annemiek Hoogenboom, the PPL鶹APPs Country Director for the United Kingdom, said:鶹APPSeeing a Turkish primary school in Istanbul showed how heads and teachers in Turkey are working to help Syrian children have a future.
鶹APPEducation requires long-term commitment. We are happy and proud to support the work of NGOs like 鶹APP, who work with governments to provide additional services, such as a healthy breakfast or lunch, which are key to the success of education.鶹APP
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