Afrin students received their education in destroyed houses

TULIN HASSEN –GANDI ALO / AL-SHAHBA

The Training Committee in the Democratic Society was forced to close the schools in Afrin canton in the middle of the educational process of 2017-2018 due to the Turkish attacks that were launched on January 20 in order to save the lives of the students. The Committee resumed the educational process in al-Shahba canton after thousands of people forcibly displaced from their homes and headed toward al-Shahba on 18 March, and finished on the first of last August.

After completing its preparations for the academic year 2018-2019, the Training Committee of the Democratic Society in Afrin opened 81 schools for the three stages on the 15th of last September for the children of Afrin and al-Shahba.

Now, 64 schools existed for the primary stage, the number of pupils there reached 11,728 students, 10 schools for the preparatory stage and about 1,417 students are studying there, while the number of the secondary stage's students reached to 465 in 7 schools.

While 1,415 students in the three educational levels are receiving education in the camps of al-Shahba, Afrin, Berxwedan and Serdem. The Training Committee in the Democratic Society has allocated 977 teachers in all schools.

The subjects taught in the schools are Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Physics, Chemistry, Culture, Ethics, and Music. Other subjects such as Social Sciences, Philosophy, Sociology, Women Science entered in the curriculum of the secondary stage. While languages are taught are Kurdish, Arabic, English and French.

Books and school stationery were distributed to 11,728 students at the primary level, while the work is still continuing to provide books for middle and high stages' students.

The committee sought to secure 50 sitting sponges for Berxwedan camp, 200 school desks distributed to classrooms, 375 mats, and 200 blankets to lay them over mats.

Due to the destruction inflicted to schools of al-Shahba canton by IS and the Turkish mercenary gangs, the Training Committee in the Democratic Society has allocated houses rather than the destroyed schools to teach students.

The Education Council belonging to the Training Committee in the Democratic Society of Afrin region consisted of 15 members continues to distribute the books as well as winter preparations such as securing the sitting sponges, heaters and fuel for heating.

Fayza al-Salem who is at 7 years was displaced from al-Mayser neighborhood in Aleppo to Afrin city and from there to al-Shahba canton due to the battle. She has still been in the second grade at the time. She should be in the fourth grade. She said, "We receive Arabic lessons; letters and words and math lessons. We learn well. The teachers cooperate with us to facilitate study."

In addition, the administrator in the Training Committee in the Democratic Community Sherin Suleiman said that their goal is to return the students to their studies normally in the current circumstances and keep them away from the loss and the effects of battle.

(T/S)

ANHA