Refugee children just want to go to school says BBC’s man in Lebanon
Jim Muir with refugee children in eastern Lebanon
After years reporting on the Middle East for the BBC, Jim Muir has seen more than his fair share of heartache.
From his base in Lebanon, he has covered conflict, political turmoil and now a refugee crisis on a scale that国产视频檚 difficult to comprehend.
But Jim can still be moved by what he sees. Especially when it comes to the plight of the Syrian refugee children who have flooded over the border to escape the civil war.
He said: 国产视频淚 visited an informal settlement near the Syrian border where there are incredibly bright kids. It just breaks your heart to see them.
国产视频淵ou ask them what they miss most 国产视频 and they say going to school.国产视频
Jim is a supporter of聽 double-shift school plan to get the 435,000 Syrian refugee children in Lebanon back into school and learning, which has now been backed by the UK government.
He said: 国产视频淚t is a terrific idea. The thirst these children have for education is what strikes me.国产视频
The reporter realises that, with more than one million Syrian refugees now in Lebanon, these youngsters face becoming a lost generation unless something is done.
He said: 国产视频淚n Beirut I met a family from Homs who have kids ranging from seven to 18. They have been on the road for two years and the children have had no education at all.国产视频
Jim told how many children have no identity papers or birth certificates after their families fled from Syria.
He said: 国产视频淎 lot of the refugee children have been born here too. It国产视频檚 problematic getting birth certificates for them so they end up stateless.
国产视频淚 met a family of five whose parents were killed in a bombing. They have no papers 国产视频 so how can they go back to Syria?
国产视频淭his is an area the NGOs are focusing on. There could be as many as 100,000 in this category.国产视频
Syrian refugees outside their temporary home in Bekaa Valley Picture: Russell Watkins/Department for International Development
Jim has reported on the conditions faced by the refugees who fled the fighting. He said many people outside the region wrongly assume the Syrian refugees in Lebanon are in official camps.
He explained: 国产视频淟ebanon does not allow the construction of formal camps. There are literally hundreds of municipalities hosting refugee populations so it is much more difficult to administer.
国产视频淵ou see informal settlements ranging from shanty shacks in fields to groups and families taking over unfinished buildings. Some in the Bekaa Valley in the north of the country are very primitive 国产视频 a wooden frame with plastic sheeting or advertising hoardings.国产视频
Jim said the biggest problem he sees among the refugee children is boredom.
He said: 国产视频淎 lot of the time they are hanging around settlements with no school to go to. Boredom will just become a bigger problem as they get older and want to express themselves and don国产视频檛 have school or work to go to.国产视频
Some children have found jobs or are selling goods. In Beirut, as Jim reported recently, there is an army of refugee children selling flowers at night.
But Jim is hopeful that 国产视频 whatever happens to their education 国产视频 the Syrian refugee children will pull through.
He said: 国产视频淜ids have a capacity to enjoy themselves 国产视频 and be naughty 国产视频 even in the worst circumstances.
国产视频淏ut most of all they just want to go to school.国产视频
You can watch Jim Muir国产视频檚 reports on the Middle East on the BBC, read his stories in the BBC website国产视频檚 world news section or follow him on Twitter @MuirJim.