Jordan’s distinguished nature

Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour rightly stated that providing education to Syrian refugee children is Jordan’s “moral and legal” duty.

The prime minister’s statement on Syrian children’s right to education was made recently in his capacity also as head of the higher steering committee that follows up on Syrian refugee affairs. 

By providing education to refugees, Jordan honours its treaty obligations, especially those contained in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which the Kingdom signed and ratified.

Article 13 of this international human rights instrument states that “the state parties to the present covenant recognise the right of everyone to education”, and that “primary education shall be compulsory and available free to all”.

This provision had been interpreted by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to mean that children are entitled to education irrespective of their status, in any given country, especially at the primary level of education.

Still, Jordan is not talking about a legal obligation only; the premier also spoke of the moral duty, no doubt stressing a deed the Kingdom has been doing for a long time.

Jordan is host to more than a million and a half Syrians, not so much because of any specific legal duty or obligation but because it felt the “moral duty” to do so.

This unique humanitarian stance distinguishes Jordan, which has for decades acted upon its “moral” character, providing a safe haven for people fleeing war and injustice in their countries.

Of course, this comes at a price. Educating some 140,000 Syrian refugee children is not exactly easy or affordable for a country with few resources and receiving insufficient amounts of aid for the upkeep of the Syrian refugee population.

The international community surely also has the “moral” duty to contribute, to help Jordan in these trying times.