With the return of schools, the cost of education is burdening the citizens of Syria and Lebanon
The joy of the pupils Back to school Universities have turned into a nightmare for families in several Arab countries suffering from unprecedented economic crises. The return of schools has become synonymous with concerns about paying tuition and providing supplies that need a special budget, and we are talking here in particular about Syria and Lebanon.
To ask many questions: How do families deal with the high costs of education? What is the impact of the crisis on the reality of education and the future of students? What about social solidarity and its role in alleviating the burden of the crisis?
On this subject, the head of the Union of Parents’ Committees in Keserwan, Fattouh and Jbeil in Lebanon, Rafik Nakhla Fakhri, told Akhbar Al-Aan Studio: “Most Lebanese families deprived themselves of the most basic necessities of living just to be able to secure the school fees to send them to private schools, because they know that there is no alternative.”
And he continued: “Families suffer a lot in order to secure the student’s requirements and the monthly installments, and even today, despite the approaching date for the start of studies in Lebanon, there are families who did not even come to register their children, and the reason is their inability to pay the registration fees, which are considered simple and estimated at 200 dollars compared to the monthly installments.”
Regarding the role of schools in supporting parents, Fakhry says: “In Keserwan and Jbeil, we opened what we called the “Book Exchange” to ease the possibility for families to finance admission to school.”
The middle class has completely disappeared in Lebanon and neighboring countries, either rich or poor, and with regard to schools and teaching, unfortunately, there is no country that gives this sector priority before armaments, the army, works, and other ministries for which huge funds are allocated, while the Ministry of Education grants little funding.
Fakhry appealed to the state, saying: “Schools must open, and students are not allowed to stay in their homes. The parents are no longer able to bear it, as they have been forced to sell their lands, homes, and cars only to pay the school tuition, which is considered large in Lebanon and requires a special budget.”
He added: “We believe, as parents and the Union of People’s Committees, that next year we will enter the unknown with the advent of the school year. The educational family, which consists of teachers, schools, and parents, all suffer, but the weakest link is the parents, just as the teachers’ salaries are no longer enough for them, and the school administrations have many obligations, including heating and securing electricity.”
Student dropouts are at an unprecedented rate
Regarding the situation in Syria, Dr. Khaled Al-Terkawi, a Syrian researcher specializing in economic affairs at the Jusoor Center for Studies, says: “The problem is not only related to income, but also the school itself and the production of school supplies, and this leads to an increase in the cost of equipping students, which may reach $40 per month.”
And he continued: “The poor financial condition of the people prompted them to refrain from sending their children to schools, and there is an estimated dropout rate of 50% for the first time in Syria, especially in the areas of displacement in the north, where families prefer their children to work in order to secure income for the family.”
He continued: “Also, schools, due to poor capabilities, do not open continuously and may be forced to close for several days, and teachers are forced to work in other professions to secure income.”
And he added, “With regard to the situation of schools today, it can be said that we are facing incapable governments, given that the country is run by more than one side.”
Tragic reality
The national currency collapsed in both Syria and Lebanon, inflation reached record levels, and the purchasing power of citizens declined, which affected all aspects of life.
It is enough to point out that equipping one student costs the Syrian citizen twice his monthly income.
In Lebanon, the minimum wage has declined to unprecedented levels, among the lowest in the world, amid inflation that is the highest in the world, leaving families with difficult choices regarding preparing their children for the new school year.
2023-09-02 21:00:50
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