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YEREVAN'S KILIKIA SCHOOL: SYRIAN-ARMENIAN KIDS COPE AND MAKE NEW FRIENDS
Marine Madatyan
http://hetq.am/eng/news/22597/yerevans-kilikia-school-syrian-armenian-kids-cope-and-make-new-friends.html
15:47, January 23, 2013
The Kilikia School, set up especially for Syrian-Armenian children
whose families have moved to Armenia to escape the war now raging in
Syria, is housed in Yerevan's Nar Dos School #14.
Currently, the school has an attendance of 307 hailing from various
towns and cities in Syria.
When I recently visited the school, second grade pupils were taking a
religious history exam. I wanted to take a look inside but the school
Deputy Principal Nora Pilibosian was against the idea, arguing that
the presence of an outsider might create undue pressure on the kids.
But the opposite happened. When they spotted my video camera, the
pupils became enthusiastic and wanted to recite whatever Armenian
poems or sing whatever Armenian songs they could remember. One wanted
to write his name on the blackboard for me to shoot. Then they all
wanted to do so.
I met Sona, Rosalia and Narot playing in the school yard. They are all
from Aleppo. They had become friends in Yerevan since they attended
different schools back home. The children said they didn't have many
local Armenian friends.
Principal Arousyak Barseghyan noted that at first the Syrian-Armenian
kids communicated with each other in Arabic and that the local
pupils thought they were doing so intentionally, in order not to
be understood.
"Two days ago I saw the pupils in the hallway speaking to one another,
and in Armenian. That's very important. They all understand that we
are all Armenians, whether from Syria or Yerevan. There is no we or
you here," Barseghyan said.
The principal also mentioned that the school is organizing sports
and other activities to promote greater contact between the
Syrian-Armenians and local pupils.
Barseghyan added that while the school is paying great attention to
the needs of the Kilikia School, it is clear that most of its pupils
long to return to Syria. Whether or not that will be possible any
time soon is another matter.
All the classroom instruction is in Arabic, just like in Syria.
Western Armenian is taught during the language class. One hears western
Armenian spoken during playtime and in the hallways. I heard most of
the older children speaking in Arabic.
The Yerevan Municipality has provided buses to ferry the kids to
school and back.
Right now, the pupils are taking exams and the school day is over at
11am, earlier than usual.
The kids were exiting the building but were in no rush to go home.
There was some snow left in the yard. Just enough for a friendly
snowball fight. They told me it doesn't snow this much back in Syria.
Marine Madatyan
http://hetq.am/eng/news/22597/yerevans-kilikia-school-syrian-armenian-kids-cope-and-make-new-friends.html
15:47, January 23, 2013
The Kilikia School, set up especially for Syrian-Armenian children
whose families have moved to Armenia to escape the war now raging in
Syria, is housed in Yerevan's Nar Dos School #14.
Currently, the school has an attendance of 307 hailing from various
towns and cities in Syria.
When I recently visited the school, second grade pupils were taking a
religious history exam. I wanted to take a look inside but the school
Deputy Principal Nora Pilibosian was against the idea, arguing that
the presence of an outsider might create undue pressure on the kids.
But the opposite happened. When they spotted my video camera, the
pupils became enthusiastic and wanted to recite whatever Armenian
poems or sing whatever Armenian songs they could remember. One wanted
to write his name on the blackboard for me to shoot. Then they all
wanted to do so.
I met Sona, Rosalia and Narot playing in the school yard. They are all
from Aleppo. They had become friends in Yerevan since they attended
different schools back home. The children said they didn't have many
local Armenian friends.
Principal Arousyak Barseghyan noted that at first the Syrian-Armenian
kids communicated with each other in Arabic and that the local
pupils thought they were doing so intentionally, in order not to
be understood.
"Two days ago I saw the pupils in the hallway speaking to one another,
and in Armenian. That's very important. They all understand that we
are all Armenians, whether from Syria or Yerevan. There is no we or
you here," Barseghyan said.
The principal also mentioned that the school is organizing sports
and other activities to promote greater contact between the
Syrian-Armenians and local pupils.
Barseghyan added that while the school is paying great attention to
the needs of the Kilikia School, it is clear that most of its pupils
long to return to Syria. Whether or not that will be possible any
time soon is another matter.
All the classroom instruction is in Arabic, just like in Syria.
Western Armenian is taught during the language class. One hears western
Armenian spoken during playtime and in the hallways. I heard most of
the older children speaking in Arabic.
The Yerevan Municipality has provided buses to ferry the kids to
school and back.
Right now, the pupils are taking exams and the school day is over at
11am, earlier than usual.
The kids were exiting the building but were in no rush to go home.
There was some snow left in the yard. Just enough for a friendly
snowball fight. They told me it doesn't snow this much back in Syria.