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Supporting Syria and funding education: live coverage of donors conference

Children in conflicts, Education funding, Education in emergencies

Welcome to our coverage of the Supporting Syria and the Region pledging conference in London. The international community is gathering to raise money to help the millions of people affected by the Syrian conflict.

Here are the main education-related points so far:

British Prime Minister David Cameron听has promised to use UK aid to help one million Syrian refugee children currently not in school to get an education听in Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan.

The Global Business Coalition for Education has announced the private sector has committed 拢75 million to support the education of one million refugee children in host countries.

Norway will double its funding for Syrian refugees to听about $280 million 国产视频 with 15% of it earmarked for education and child protection.

The United States announces new funding of $290 million听specifically for education in Lebanon and Jordan.

If you want to know more about the background to the conference, here is our handy guide to the event.

BEFORE WE START国产视频

Picture: Getty Images/Ben Pruchnie

Young Syrian refugees have sent hundreds of hand-printed messages to world leaders, asking them to provide education for every child.

TV国产视频檚 Downton Abbey star Laura Carmichael and Soulayma Mardam 国产视频 a Global Youth Ambassador for A World at School 国产视频 delivered the messages on Wednesday against the backdrop of the famous Big Ben tower in London.

Read more about the messages and find out what Laura and Soulayma had to say about providing education for every Syrian refugee child.

8am UPDATE

A key announcement this morning from David Cameron. The UK Prime Minister says: 国产视频淲e will use our aid money to support Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan in making sure that every child in these countries will have access to education by the end of the next school year.

国产视频淭his will mean one million children currently not in school getting an education.

In an article for the Guardian, Mr Cameron writes: 国产视频淲e are already the world国产视频檚 second biggest bilateral donor to the region and we will now more double our total pledge to over $2.3 billion 国产视频 committing twice as much this year as last.国产视频

He adds: 国产视频淲e will use our aid money to support Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan in making sure that every refugee and vulnerable child in those countries will have access to education by the end of the next school year. This will mean one million children currently not in school getting an education.国产视频

BACKING FROM BUSINESSES

Sarah Brown visits Syrian refugee students at Mtein school at Mount Lebanon Picture: Anthony Achkar

Sarah Brown, Executive Chair of the Global Business Coalition for Education (GBC-Education), has outlined new commitments and partnerships from the private sector to help support one million Syrian refugees in Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey get an education this year.

The announcement will be made at the conference, where GBC-Education convened private sector partners from around the world alongside the conference hosts, UN agencies, and key donors.

She said: 国产视频淭he challenge of getting one million Syrian children in school this year requires urgent and innovative support from all sectors, and the business community has a unique role in tackling some of the barriers stopping children getting a quality education.国产视频

Read the full story here.

EDUCATION SESSION

A special education event at the conference has been convened by GBC-Education, with an array of guest speakers who are experts in the field of global education.

After opening remarks from Borge Brende, Norway国产视频檚 foreign minister, education campaigner Malala Yousafzai is addressing the meeting. She introduces a very special guest 国产视频 Muzoon Almellehan, whose family fled from Syria to Jordan and is now living in the UK..

Muzoon听Almellehan from Syria tells of her hopes and dreams

Muzoon, a 17-year-old who dreams of becoming a journalist, says: 国产视频淚 am only one girl but I am here today to speak for all refugee children.国产视频

She adds: 国产视频淲e need education because Syria needs us. Without us who will bring peace?国产视频 Talking about the so-called Lost Generation of Syrian young people, Muzoon says: 国产视频淲e are not lost 国产视频 we have not lost our love of learning. We have not lost hope.国产视频

Now we hear from Justine Greening, Britain国产视频檚 Secretary of State for International Development. She says: 国产视频淲e have got about half of the children into school but it国产视频檚 not enough. We need everyone to step up to the plate at this conference.国产视频

Lebanon国产视频檚 education minister Elias Bou Saab then outlines the challenges of educating 400,000 Syrian refugee students living in his country.

Imad Fakhoury, Jordanian Minister for Planning, outlines what his country is doing to provide education for refugees in his country.

He says: 国产视频淭he burden has reached its saturation point.国产视频 He says Jordan has had to hire 6000 extra teachers and 17% of local students are attending double-shift schools, where Jordanian and Syrian children are educated in the same school building at different times.

Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chair of Qatar Foundation and Education Above All, talks about the importance of partnerships and announces funding to educate one million primary-age children.

UNICEF executive Director Anthony Lake (pictured above) says hundreds of thousands of children are already in school thanks to donors, host governments and local communities.

But he adds: 国产视频淚t is the children themselves who are the key.国产视频

Sarah Brown announces the extra $75 million in funding from GBC-Education (see earlier entry and read the full story here) and then introduces some of those businesses which are helping.

Caitlin Baron from the Speed School Fund explains the work of her organisation in helping children denied an education to get back into the classroom.

Caitlin says: 国产视频淭he fund is proud to have committed to raise $20 million to enable Syrian refugee children to be ready to take up places in government schools. Through accelerated learning programmes, we enable children to enter school at grade level and progress with their peers.国产视频

Caitlin Baron from the Speed School Fund

Sarah then introduces Romen Mathieu, from ITWORX Education via the EuroMENA Fund.

He says getting one million children into school this year would be extremely challenging using conventional methods. But he adds:听国产视频淭he good news is that if we use technology it is completely possible to bring eduction to every one of them, wherever they are. This is what the private sector can bring.国产视频

Alex Asseily, founder of Jawbone, says: 国产视频淲hen we can learn adaptively, we can change our strategies in real time and that allows us to spend our money more judiciously and allows us to move faster.国产视频

John Fallon, chief executive of Pearson, talks about leveraging companies国产视频 own employees, saying they 国产视频渆xpect us to be involved国产视频 in work like this and 国产视频渨ant to be involved themselves国产视频.

After the GBC-Education section, we hear from听Paige Alexander, USAID Assistant Administrator. She announces an increase of US funding specifically for education in Lebanon and Jordan to about $300 million. 国产视频淣one of us can do this alone,国产视频 she adds.

Massa Mufti, CEO of Sonbola, talks about providing education for Syrian children in Lebanon 国产视频 and the important role of Syrian teachers. You can read a full interview with Massa about her work here.

The top table as the education side event finishes

Tove Wang, CEO of Save The Children Norway, pays tribute to the NGOs working on the ground in Syria. She adds: 国产视频淭he plan requires money, it also requires policy and system change.It also needs security because schools are being attacked every day.国产视频

Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, says: 国产视频淭his is a complex issue. We have to have informal as well as formal education. There is huge learning gap among Syrian youth.听Tomorrow these young people have to find jobs and be part of their societies.国产视频

Borge Brende and Justine Greening then sum up the education session.

Ms Greening says: 国产视频淲e have a clearer idea now of what we have to do and how to do it.国产视频

Mr Brende pays tribute to the host communities and adds: 国产视频淚f you think education is expensive, try ignorance.国产视频

Syrian and Lebanese students sit together in classes at a mixed Elementary public school in Beirut Lebanon picture by Adam Patterson Panos DFID

Syrian and Lebanese students sit together in classes at a mixed elementary public school in Beirut Lebanon Picture: Adam Patterson/Panos/DFID

THE MAIN CONFERENCE BEGINS

With the education side event over, it国产视频檚 time for the co-hosts to welcome everyone to the main plenary session. British Prime Minister David Cameron is first to speak.

He says: 国产视频淚f ever there was a time to take a new approach to the humanitarian crisis in Syria, surely it is now. 国产视频

Mr Cameron adds that the vital tasks for donors include education. He says: 国产视频淲e do not want a generation to miss out on school and all that it means for their life chances.国产视频

He introduces Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations Secretary-General, who says: 国产视频淭oday let us commit to getting all Syrian refugee children into school within months, not years.国产视频

Norway has been leading the way in the fight for education funds for Syrian refugee children. So it国产视频檚 fitting that Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg is here.

She announces that Norway will double its funds for the Syrian crisis to about $280 million 国产视频 with 15% of it earmarked for education and child protection. In total it is pledging $1.6 billion over the next four years.

Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg addresses the conference

Now we go into specific, themed pledging sessions, with education later today. So let国产视频檚 remind ourselves of why getting all Syrian children into school is so vital.

IT国产视频橲 ALL ABOUT THE CHILDREN

Syrian girls and boys are talented young people who need education if they are to fulfil their potential. We found 10 amazing youngsters for our Hope for Syria国产视频檚 Young Talent campaign. You can read about them here.

And watch this moving and inspirational video about three brothers who use rap to express their feelings about Syria and their new life in Lebanon.

A BIG PLEDGE FROM THE USA

US Secretary of State John Kerry uses the humanitarian pledging session to announce $290 million in new funding specifically to support schooling for 300,000 children in Jordan and Lebanon.

It国产视频檚 part of the overall American pledge of $925 million to support Syrians.

GETTING THE MESSAGE ACROSS

Tom Fletcher 国产视频 Global Strategy Director of GBC-Education, has been appearing on the BBC国产视频檚 flagship World at One radio show.

He says: 国产视频淥ur great hope is that we国产视频檙e going to have finance in place at the end of the day to get one million Syrian kids into school.

国产视频淭hat means one million Syrian kids who won国产视频檛 be making that perilous journey across the Mediterranean, who won国产视频檛 be easy prety for those who would like to see them in suicide vests 国产视频 but back where they actually want to be 国产视频 behind their desks and studying.国产视频

Syrian children taking part in a reading challenge Picture: Facebook/Sonbola

That国产视频檚 exactly the message from some of the world国产视频檚 leading charities and aid agencies working inside Syria or across the region with Syrian refugees 国产视频 including A World at School国产视频檚 parent charity 国产视频, Save The Children and Plan International.

They made a joint statement ahead of the conference, which read: 国产视频淲e are calling on the participants in the London conference to commit to ensure all children and young people affected by the conflict have access to safe, quality, and relevant educational opportunities during the 2016/2017 academic year and on an ongoing basis.国产视频

Kolleen Bouchane, Director of Policy, Research and Advocacy for A World at School and GBC-Education, has been at the conference.

But she国产视频檚 taken time out to write a blog for the Huffington Post, in which she says: 国产视频淭oday for the first time, education was front and centre of the humanitarian response agenda.国产视频 Read her blog here.

Refugee Fatima, 12, in a mixed Syrian and Lebanese class in Beirut Picture: Addam Patterson/Panos/DFID

NEW THINKING IS NEEDED

During the Inside Syria session, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon makes another impassioned plea for education funding. Hey says:听国产视频淚nside Syria, nearly one child in three is out of school. Women and girls are enslaved and children, the sick and elderly are at risk of malnutrition and starvation.国产视频

He adds: 国产视频淲e must build on initiatives such as UNICEF国产视频檚 No Lost Generation campaign and my special envoy Gordon Brown国产视频檚 proposal to get one million Syrian children into school in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey.

国产视频淭hese steps will require substantial financial commitments, new partnerships and innovative thinking.国产视频

EDUCATION IS THE PRIORITY

It国产视频檚 3.30pm UK time and now we begin a special pledging session on education, hosted and co-chaired by Norway and Lebanon.

First to speak is Norway国产视频檚 Prime Minister Erna Solberg, who says: 国产视频淭he message from this conference must be clear. We are committed to fulfilling the rights of all Syrian children to education.

国产视频淲e are ready to provide the resources for all Syrian children and host community children in neighbouring countries to have access to education by the beginning of the school year.国产视频

Justine Greening is about to introduce education campaigner and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. As she does, she says:听国产视频淵oung people have the ability to change our world for the better, with your energy and your inspiration.国产视频

Malala Yousafzai makes her plea to the conference

Malala says: 国产视频淚 am here because I cannot tolerate that the world is staying silent while Syria is suffering.

国产视频淚国产视频檓 here to remind you that Syria国产视频檚 future depends on its children. And their future depends on you and the decisions you make.国产视频

Talking about her own family国产视频檚 flight from the Swat Valley in Pakistan, she adds: 国产视频淚 know what it is like to be forced out of your country. It saddens me that that experience is shared by millions of people and children right now.国产视频

Referring to the so-called Lost Generation of Syrian children, Malala says: 国产视频淭hese children will only be lost if you choose to give up on them. These children will only be lost if you choose to fail them.国产视频

Lebanon国产视频檚 education minister, Elias Bou Saab, has been at the forefront of efforts to give Syrian children an education through the double-shift system.

He tells the conference of his own experience as a refugee in 1992, when he missed a year of school when his family fled from Lebanon to Syria.

Elias Bou Saab in tears as he tells the story of Mohammed

The room is then silent as 国产视频 fighting back tears and his voice choked with emotion 国产视频 he tells of an incident just four weeks ago.

国产视频淢ohammed, seven years old, died in school,国产视频 says Mr Bou Saab. 国产视频淢ohammed is a Syrian refugee. I asked to speak to his father in the hospital and he told me he had five children in the same school.

国产视频淏ut he国产视频檚 happy that Mohammed had an opportunity to die while he had a chance to go to school.

国产视频淗e walked out of the room, walked into the other three rooms where his brothers and sisters are, looked at them and went back to his room and died because he is sick. His father didn国产视频檛 know of his illness.

国产视频淭he international community is to be thanked that Mohammed, before he died, and his brothers and the rest will get an opportunity to go to school.国产视频

Tunisian tourist minister and business leader Dr Amel Karboul talks about the value of the private sector in delivering education to refugees.

She mentions the commitments of $75 million from Global Business Coalition for Education members. She adds that the the private sector can bring 国产视频渃reative, maybe even disruptive国产视频 solutions 国产视频 and says technology can take education to children who cannot go to a physical school.

DELIVERING ON THE PROMISE

The final part of today国产视频檚 proceedings is the press conference with the co-hosts. David Cameron says the Syria conference has raised more than $10 billion in pledges 国产视频 国产视频渢he largest amount of money ever raised in one day in response to a humanitarian crisis国产视频.

He says the money raised will mean one million refugee children in neighbouring countries will definitely be able to go to school.

Mr Cameron adds:听国产视频淭oday has been and is a day of hope, a day about saving lives, a day about building futures, a day about giving people the chance of a future, the chance of a life.国产视频

Ban Ki-moon thanks the governments of Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey for choosing solidarity instead of fear. He adds: 国产视频淣ever has the international community raised so much on a single day for a single crisis.国产视频

With the official conference over, of our amazing Global Youth Ambassadors then deliveres the messages from Syrian children to the UN Secretary-General.

Global Youth Ambassador Soulayma took our messages to world leaders attending the #SupportSyrians pledging conference in国产视频

Posted by A World At School on听Thursday, 4 February 2016

Read more: world leaders pledge to get one million children into school

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