SYRIA / EDUCATION

Songs are being employed as one of the building blocks of numerous UNICEF and European Union initiated workshops promoting healthcare and hygiene in Syrian schools. UNICEF

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:16
• Production Date: 9 April 2010
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND - UNICEF
• Subject Topical: EDUCATION; EDUCATIONAL POLICY; EDUCATIONAL PLANNING; TEACHING PERSONNEL; POPULATION
• Geographic Subject: SYRIA
• MAMS Id: U100409e

Description

STORY: SYRIA / EDUCATION
TRT: 2.16
SOURCE: UNICEF
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / ARABIC / NATS

DATELINE: 15 FEBRUARY 2010, NORTHERN SYRIA

Shotlist

1. Wide shot, school playground
2. Med shot, interior towards school playground
3. Various shots, children singing
4. Wide shot, boy shows off picture of problem litter
5. Various shots, children singing
6. Med shot, teacher talks to student with UNICEF branding in background
7. Med shot, drawing of a tooth on board
8. Various shots, hand washing
9. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Issa, Class Participant:
“The teeth are useful and they are important for making the face beautiful. I taught my little brother that he should clean his teeth after every meal and before sleep so he won’t have rotten teeth.”
10. Med shot, girl clapping
11. Med shot, children coming to school
12. Various shots, children in classroom
13. Various shots, children with music teacher
14. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Estaz Rayed, Volunteer Music Teacher:
“I am very happy when the kids are around me playing music. I feel like I own the world.”
15. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Munir Abdel, Director of Education, Hassekeh:
“This project has reflected particularly on our schools in many aspects. The safety, psychological comfort and health in the school and the student’s happiness and this has definitely had a positive effect on education.”
16. Various shots, children in school
17. Various shots, children playing music and singing

Storyline

Songs are being employed as one of the building blocks of numerous UNICEF and European Union initiated workshops promoting healthcare and hygiene in Syrian schools.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Issa, Class Participant:
“The teeth are useful and they are important for making the face beautiful. I taught my little brother that he should clean his teeth after every meal and before sleep so he won’t have rotten teeth.”

By working with the Ministry of Education to create fun ways to learn, UNICEF, the European Union, and their local partners such as Action Against Hunger are producing a revamped health curriculum in Syrian schools.

The model has proved successful in Syria, not only with the kids but with the whole community who are repaying the investment in full. Volunteers have been pouring into once ignored schools. Individuals like this music teacher.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Estaz Rayed, Volunteer Music Teacher:
“I am very happy when the kids are around me playing music. I feel like I own the world.”

The Syrian education system has been particularly stretched as of late. The reason is clear, here, just miles from the border and the restive Northern Iraqi town of Mosul where the scars of war have yet to heal.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Munir Abdel Unir Abdel, Director of Education, Hassekeh:
“This project has reflected particularly on our schools in many aspects. The safety, psychological comfort and health in the school and the student’s happiness and this has definitely had a positive effect on education.”

In Syria, UNICEF and the European Union are working through training, rehabilitation and supply to improve the health of the education system, for Iraqi refugees, for Syrians and for the population as a whole.