EU: Over 6.9 million Syrians are in need of educational support

The head of the EU delegation to Syria, Dan Stoenescu, confirmed that “more than 6.9 million people inside Syria are in need of educational support, about 97% of which are children.”

Stoenescu said: “Assad regime does not have the necessary equipment to meet the educational needs, pointing out that the classes are overcrowded with 54 children in each class”, according to “Syria TV” website.

Stoenescu added that the education in Syria lost about 150,000 teachers through the past few years, due to the displacement, injuries, and deaths.

Stoenescu made it clear that the EU provides educational support through the executing partners, usually through international non-governmental organizations and their local partners. EU also helps provide children and youth with educational opportunities through various non-formal education activities.

Stoenescu pointed out that despite the EU’s ongoing efforts to support the vulnerable children and youth in Syria, the educational needs remain huge.

Stoenescu considered that the education helps reduce child labor and early marriage, and school education also provides children and youth with a place of belong, which reduces their chances of joining extremist groups, so it is important to constantly pay attention to the education sector.

Students in Syria generally suffer from interruption of education as a result of the war and internal displacement movements, and one of the most prominent problems facing the education sector is the shortage of basic educational supplies.