Syria conference: lack of long-term funding keeps 530,000 Syrian refugees out of school

The number of Syrian refugee children who are in聽school has increased –聽thanks to the efforts of their host countries and partners.

But 534,000 have yet to set foot in a classroom.聽That means more funding and clearer planning聽is needed聽urgently if world leaders are to keep their promise to educate聽every single聽refugee child.

That message rang out loud and clear today at a high-level聽conference in Brussels to gauge the progress of humanitarian efforts to help Syrians inside and outside the war-torn country.

The talks came 14 months after an聽initial聽Syria conference in London vowed to get every refugee child into school during the 2016-17 academic year at a cost of $1.4 billion annually.

国产视频’s #YouPromised campaign has been pressing for months for聽the pledge to be kept聽and for more transparency from the international community聽around the funding processes.

A special education report – presented to today’s Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region聽conference –聽shows that some聽progress has been聽made.聽

But there is still much more to be done if those half a million children are to get an education and a future.

“Education is key to Syria’s future,”聽Norwegian foreign minister Borge Brende told the conference. “We simply cannot afford to lose a whole generation of young Syrians.”

国产视频 President Sarah Brown wrote in a blog today: “There is no time to waste. Every missed year of school adds to boys国产视频� and girls国产视频� lost childhoods.聽

“It is imperative for the children of Syria and the credibility of the international community that we are focused and transparent in our efforts.”

The report聽showed that:

• 34% of refugee聽children were out of school聽in five host countries – Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt – in December 2016,聽compared with聽45% the year before.
• The total number of out-of-school refugee children was聽534,272, down from 630,417聽in December 2015. That fall would have been greater聽but for a 12% increase in the number of registered school-age children, taking the total to聽1,580,792.
• All Syrian refugee children in聽Iraq and Egypt are in education. If they are excluded from the statistics, the聽three main聽host countries then have 36% of their refugee聽children out of school.聽
• A large number of those are聽only聽in “non-formal” education – where they are not enrolled in school. If they are also聽excluded from the figures,聽45% of refugee聽children in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan聽are聽not in the public school systems.

The aim must be for all Syrian refugee聽children to be in full-time education – not just at informal classes.聽

Preschool education is also聽vital for younger children if they are to fulfil their potential. But there is virtually聽no mention of it in the report.聽

In its “Way Forward” section, it only聽says: “The education response needs to be embedded within a lifelong learning approach that starts from聽early learning and continues through tertiary education levels.”

Despite the statistics聽and a聽lot of rhetoric at the conference –聽co-hosted聽by the European Union, Germany, Kuwait, Qatar, United Kingdom and United Nations –聽there is still a lack of long-term funding and no clear budget details for the 2017-18 academic year.聽

Donations are falling far short of the $1.4 billion per year which the co-hosts agree is聽needed聽to educate every refugee child.聽The聽money must come through聽urgently and regularly聽if聽all children are to get into school.

As the report said: “Funding聽to education continues to be far from the London $1.4 billion ask and needs to be further sustained,聽predictable and timely.”

In his closing remarks, Christos Stylianides, EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, said the conference had made pledges of $6 billion for 2017.聽

He talked about the聽challenges faced by Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan and assured them “of our continued support国产视频�.

He added:聽“We agreed to continue to work towards ensuring No Lost Generation of children in Syria and in the region to to increase our efforts to reach our goal聽set in London –聽namely of getting all refugee children and vulnerable host children in quality education as well as to increase access to learning for 1.75 million children out of school in Syria.”

But five international organisations working on the Syria crisis – Oxfam, CARE International, International Rescue Committee, Norwegian Refugee Council and Save the Children –聽issued a statement calling for more action to help those affected.

It read: “Last year in London, governments made unprecedented pledges to support refugees and Syria国产视频檚 neighbouring countries, and provided additional and multiyear funding to deal with the crisis.聽

“The follow-up at Brussels has not matched this yet聽and we expect pledges to be significantly lower than last year.聽

“Governments had the opportunity today to build on the commitments at London, to provide the legal protections refugees need, better education opportunities聽and decent work for millions in neighbouring countries, as well as increase humanitarian and development funding to help make this a reality.聽

“Rich countries had the opportunity to show solidarity and share responsibility for refugees by increasing resettlement and other admissions.聽Practically, none of these opportunities were taken.

“London was an important first step, at Brussels the international community stood still.”

The London conference raised more than聽$12 billion –聽$6 billion for 2016 and $6.1 billion for 2017-20.

Human Rights Watch called today聽for barriers to be removed to get more refugee children into education.

国产视频淚t is still too hard to find answers to basic questions about whether Syrian children are getting an education聽and, if not, why,国产视频� said聽Bill Van Esveld, a聽senior children国产视频檚 rights researcher at the organisation.聽

国产视频淚t is crucial that donors and host countries collect the information needed for Syrian children to get into school.国产视频澛�

In Syria itself,聽2.3 million children and youth are聽still out of school and a large number are at risk of dropping out.

Watch what Norway’s foreign minister聽Borge Brende said about his country’s contribution to Syrian refugee education and聽then about the overall situation.