Three new schools open at Zaatari camp

AMMAN — The Education Ministry and UNICEF on Tuesday opened three new schools at the Zaatari Refugee Camp, with the support of the EU, Germany and the US. 

The inauguration was attended by representatives of the donors, the UN, NGOs and the director of the camp, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Khawla Abu Al Haija, director of general education at the ministry, said joint efforts to provide educational services and facilities for Syrian students resulted in the establishment of 24 schools at the camp, some 90km northeast of Amman, in addition to six in other camps, and 98 outside the camps. 

UNICEF Representative to Jordan Robert Jenkins thanked the German, Kuwaiti and US governments for their continuous support of the education of Syrian refugee children, adding that opening new schools helps reduce overcrowding in classrooms. 

The development counsellor at the German embassy, Nina Lutter, commended Zaatari Refugee Camp’s achievements and infrastructure, in addition to the services offered to residents refugees, including education.

The camp is currently home to 79,284 refugees, according to the latest figures from the UNHCR. 

Heather Kalmbach, senior regional refugee coordinator at the US embassy, said Jordan hosts more than 53 per cent of Syrian students, with primary school students being the largest segment. 

She noted that children are sometimes forced to work to pay rent or buy food, adding that financial pressures also oblige some parents to marry off daughters as young as 13 years old.