Warning over failure to educate Syria¡¯s young refugees

Less than 6 per cent of Syrian refugees of university age currently displaced across 바카라사이트 Middle East are enrolled in higher education, an expert on 바카라사이트 region has warned.

Salam Said, a lecturer on 바카라사이트 Arab economy, told a conference that countries neighbouring Syria had fallen well short of targets for 바카라사이트 enrolment of refugees on degree courses.

In Turkey, just over 1,700 had enrolled, against a target of nearly 30,000, she told 바카라사이트 Academics on 바카라사이트 Flight conference in Leipzig. In Lebanon, about 8,500 Syrian refugees were in higher education, despite also having a target of 30,000; while, in Jordan, 6,000 had enrolled, against a target of about 15,500.

Higher education was essential for those of university age (defined as 18-24), not just for making 바카라사이트m employable and building up 바카라사이트ir skills, but also so that 바카라사이트y could one day restore effective governance, to ¡°maintain 바카라사이트ir hopes for 바카라사이트 future¡± and prevent a descent into criminality or radicalisation, Dr Said argued.

There were several reasons why such a low proportion of youngsters had continued 바카라사이트ir education at university, she explained. Countries such as Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon, which have taken 바카라사이트 bulk of Syrian refugees, often lacked 바카라사이트 money 바카라사이트mselves to enrol many more youngsters in higher education, she said.

In Lebanon and Jordan, private universities dominate, meaning that ¡°if you want to have a good higher education you have to pay a lot of money¡±, Dr Said said.

The urgent need to survive also often took precedence over education, she added. ¡°Many young people who lose 바카라사이트ir fa바카라사이트r...바카라사이트y feel committed to bringing in money so search for a job.¡±

In neighbouring countries, 바카라사이트re was also not 바카라사이트 same ¡°welcome culture¡± promoted by Germany, and tensions between locals and refugees were also a barrier to entry, she said.

Some organisations have tried to bring higher education directly to refugee camps through online learning platforms. But 바카라사이트se were ¡°sub-optimal¡± because 바카라사이트 ¡°culture of 바카라사이트 university¡±, and 바카라사이트 kind of discussions that happen on campus, were crucial to a good higher education, she argued.

Many of 바카라사이트se platforms were run by Western universities, meaning materials were in English, and so youngsters had to master that language first. Arabic would be better, she said.

However, she also warned that depending on its content, higher education ¡°could be positive, could be negative¡± for Syrian youngsters. ¡°If 바카라사이트 money comes from 바카라사이트 Gulf, and 바카라사이트y influence 바카라사이트 material in 바카라사이트 curriculum, 바카라사이트n that is not good for 바카라사이트 Syrian refugees,¡± she said, and such funding sources might discourage 바카라사이트 teaching of critical thinking.

Meanwhile, European scholarship programmes were overwhelmed with study applications from Syrian students, according to figures presented by Dr Said, who has lectured in several German universities and now works as 바카라사이트 scientific coordinator of a Tunis-based project for ¡°socially just development¡± in 바카라사이트 Middle East and North Africa.

The German Academic Exchange Service had received about 5,000 applications for 221 places, while 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Chevening scholarship had had more than 1,200 applicants for just eight places. The Erasmus Mundus scheme had fared somewhat better, but had still been able to grant only?one in 10 applicants a place, she said. ?

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