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SPECIAL REPORT. NEW SCHOOL FOR SYRIAN ARMENIAN CHILDREN, OLD TEXTBOOKS AND UNCERTAIN FUTURE
Mediamax
Dec 18 2012
Armenia
Texts and photos by Yekaterina Poghosyan.
Kilikean" school based on Syrian educational program opened in N14
comprehensive school after Nar-Dos in Yerevan on October 9, 2012. The
establishment of the school was initiated by "Kilikia" organization.
The idea of creating an educational institution was conditioned by
the desire of Syrian Armenian families settled in Armenia to return
to Syria after the situation there is stabilized.
In August-September, the Ministry of Diaspora and Ministry of Education
and Science of Armenia with the support of the General Education
Department of Yerevan Mayor's Office, made efforts on registering
Syrian Armenian children and teachers, establishing classrooms and
disseminating textbooks.
Mediamax's correspondent visited "Kilikean" school, talked to the
director of the school and pupils.
About 270 pupils currently study at school. All the lessons are
taught in Arabic according to the Syrian program except for "Armenian
language" and "Religion" lessons. Every day at 8:30, the school buses
bring pupils to the school where they try to find the atmosphere of
the school they left in Syria and their friends.
Nora Piliposyan is the Director of "Kilikean" school. She has worked
in "Kilikean" Armenian collage in Aleppo. Coming to Armenia on her
summer vacation, she couldn't even fancy that she could stay here
and head the Syrian Armenian school.
"The opening of the school pursued one goal - not to let the children's
academic year be interrupted. We brought 1copy per each textbook
from Syria and made copies here. Of course, we are in Armenia, in our
motherland, but everything is new to children here", the Director said.
The school has 1-9 classes which are called "karger" in Syrian
Armenian schools. 25-43 pupils study in each class. Their number
sometimes grows and sometimes decreases under some circumstances.
"Nobody attends the school by force. Vice versa, parents gladly bring
their children so as they don't miss their classes, do something and
don't have any problems in case of returning to Syria. In some cases,
Syrian Armenians have to go back to Syria because they don't manage
to find jobs in Armenia and are in social need", noted Nora Piliposyan.
Teachers in the schools, 17 in number, are also Syrian Armenians who
had to leave their houses and come to Armenia.
According to the Director, children manage to concentrate on the
learning process despite tough psychological state and uncertain
future.
"But when you talk to them, you feel how much they miss their homes,
friends and neighbors. Most of their relatives are still in Syria",
she said.
Zhanil Serardaryan, 12-year-old pupil of the school, came to Armenia
in August to take part in "Come Home" program. When the situation in
Syria aggravated, Zhanil's family joined her in Yerevan. "It's easier
for me to study here - the homework is less than in Aleppo school. I
already made many friends here but I miss Aleppo, our house", she said.
Even though each pupil of the school spends his free time with their
new friends their future is still vague.
The Director of the school can't answer exactly how much time
"Kilikean" school will operate.
"Everything is so uncertain. We don't know how much we'll stay in
Armenia, when we will return to Aleppo if we ever do. Nobody has the
answer to the question", said the Director of the school.
http://www.mediamax.am/en/news/special-report/6503/
Mediamax
Dec 18 2012
Armenia
Texts and photos by Yekaterina Poghosyan.
Kilikean" school based on Syrian educational program opened in N14
comprehensive school after Nar-Dos in Yerevan on October 9, 2012. The
establishment of the school was initiated by "Kilikia" organization.
The idea of creating an educational institution was conditioned by
the desire of Syrian Armenian families settled in Armenia to return
to Syria after the situation there is stabilized.
In August-September, the Ministry of Diaspora and Ministry of Education
and Science of Armenia with the support of the General Education
Department of Yerevan Mayor's Office, made efforts on registering
Syrian Armenian children and teachers, establishing classrooms and
disseminating textbooks.
Mediamax's correspondent visited "Kilikean" school, talked to the
director of the school and pupils.
About 270 pupils currently study at school. All the lessons are
taught in Arabic according to the Syrian program except for "Armenian
language" and "Religion" lessons. Every day at 8:30, the school buses
bring pupils to the school where they try to find the atmosphere of
the school they left in Syria and their friends.
Nora Piliposyan is the Director of "Kilikean" school. She has worked
in "Kilikean" Armenian collage in Aleppo. Coming to Armenia on her
summer vacation, she couldn't even fancy that she could stay here
and head the Syrian Armenian school.
"The opening of the school pursued one goal - not to let the children's
academic year be interrupted. We brought 1copy per each textbook
from Syria and made copies here. Of course, we are in Armenia, in our
motherland, but everything is new to children here", the Director said.
The school has 1-9 classes which are called "karger" in Syrian
Armenian schools. 25-43 pupils study in each class. Their number
sometimes grows and sometimes decreases under some circumstances.
"Nobody attends the school by force. Vice versa, parents gladly bring
their children so as they don't miss their classes, do something and
don't have any problems in case of returning to Syria. In some cases,
Syrian Armenians have to go back to Syria because they don't manage
to find jobs in Armenia and are in social need", noted Nora Piliposyan.
Teachers in the schools, 17 in number, are also Syrian Armenians who
had to leave their houses and come to Armenia.
According to the Director, children manage to concentrate on the
learning process despite tough psychological state and uncertain
future.
"But when you talk to them, you feel how much they miss their homes,
friends and neighbors. Most of their relatives are still in Syria",
she said.
Zhanil Serardaryan, 12-year-old pupil of the school, came to Armenia
in August to take part in "Come Home" program. When the situation in
Syria aggravated, Zhanil's family joined her in Yerevan. "It's easier
for me to study here - the homework is less than in Aleppo school. I
already made many friends here but I miss Aleppo, our house", she said.
Even though each pupil of the school spends his free time with their
new friends their future is still vague.
The Director of the school can't answer exactly how much time
"Kilikean" school will operate.
"Everything is so uncertain. We don't know how much we'll stay in
Armenia, when we will return to Aleppo if we ever do. Nobody has the
answer to the question", said the Director of the school.
http://www.mediamax.am/en/news/special-report/6503/