Refugee students gear up for another school year at the AMA sponsored Aman School of Excellence in Lebanon

Refugee and orphan children in Lebanon’s refugee camps are preparing for a new school year at the Africa Muslim Agency Aman School of Excellence.

The school, caters to over 650 Syrian, Palestinian and Lebanese children from the Beqaa region. Many of the children enrolled at the school are refugees, who have previously been displaced, suffered loss and have little access to basic public services.

Students and their parents have expressed their excitement over the start of the new school year, which they say has allowed them to better their life and develop further.

Ashraf Gangraker, who oversees the school and development says that so far, it has been “tremendously successful.”

“If we look at the aim which is to allow children to develop skills and think critically and then become productive members of our society, we have been able to fulfill this even for those who are in the most trying conditions,” he says.

He also says that the school is constantly improving, to provide the best service, education and facilities to children.

“The fact that Aman is able to compete with other schools in terms of quality and standards is amazing, after two years, the school has established its own identity,” he added.

Many of the refugee children at the school are only able to do so due to being sponsored, which covers their tuition, uniform, food, transport and equipment.

Without donations and sponsorships, the students would not have access to education due to their status as refugees, and lack of accessibility to formal education where they are located in the camps.

All of the teachers at the school are formally trained, and the school offers psycho-social support.

Increased growth and development 

According to Gangraker, one of the best aspects of the school is being able to witness the growth in skills and development in the students.

“The psycho-social development of children is important, while most children may take going to school for granted, for Syrian and Palestinian children this is not the norm.”

“The children in the camps don’t dream or look at children in school with a sense of longing…by being at Aman, children get a sense of belonging, familiarity and normalcy,” he added.

The school has a state of the art lab, where students can learn more and gain practical skills, as well as a large playground and courts and a library.

As well as helping develop their mental and emotional well-being, the Aman school has also allowed students to excel academically.

All students at the school are able to read and write, as well as engage with others in an academic setting.

Extra classes and enrichment classes are also held for students who need it, ensuring that they are constantly developing.

Growing confidence and skills

Teachers at the Aman school also commented on the confidence of the children since enrolling at the school, saying that many of them are now comfortable enough to hold conversations and interact with others where they may not have been able to previously.

Woroud Abdallah, one of the teachers at the school, says that she has seen the change in children first hand, and is excited to welcome them for a new school year.

“Children here are developing their skills and information from multiple activities, I have seen a huge growth over the past year and I hope this will continue in the future,” she told Africa Muslims Agency.

Parents of the students have also say they are amazed by the progress of their children.

“Before joining the school, Mohamed Nidal didn’t know how to write or read and struggled to pronounce words,” Nidal’s father told Africa Muslims Agency.

“The school has helped him greatly and allowed him to make many new friends. The school is important for Nidal, his friends, and everyone in the area,” he added.

While many of the students are excitedly getting their uniforms and stationary ready for the new school year, there are still hundreds more that need help and that have been left behind in the camps.

The Aman School is able to function, and enroll new students due to generous donations and the sponsorships of students.

At Africa Muslims Agency, we have high ambitions to continue educating disadvantaged and vulnerable children, allowing them to live a dignified life and dream big.

We believe that education is essential in breaking the cycle of poverty, and with your help and continued support of the school, we can continue educating even more young people living in refugee camps.

Sponsorships of students can be done through our website or by calling our offices.

 

An original version of this article was published in Muslim Views