Supporting Moderate Education in Syria

The Office of Assistance Coordination in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs (NEA/AC) of the Department of State aims to support stabilization activities in areas liberated from the Islamic State of Syria and the Levant (ISIS) as well as those in opposition-held areas of Syria. An integral requirement to stabilize communities and preserve moderate institutions that will contribute to a negotiated solution to the Syrian conflict is improved equitable access for Syrians to moderate, quality education services for children and youth. Quality, moderate education is a critical means to deny designated terrorists the space to indoctrinate the next generation of Syrians with violent extremist ideologies and prevent the flow of further Syrians to neighboring countries in pursuit of opportunities for their children and avoid a lost generation. Proposals should outline approaches to continue to support and develop the capacity of the Syrian Interim Government (SIG) aligned Provincial Education Directorates and other local education providers to more effectively manage education; provide stipends and salaries for education staff for the 2018 and 2019 academic school years and support summer exams to ensure students are recognized for their learning gains; provide teacher training to ensure quality and grade appropriate education is provided in classrooms; light refurbishments of damaged schools; and provide psychosocial support and training to children, teachers, and community members to address the trauma epidemic in a country in which over 60% of students have seen a shelling or bombing; nearly half have seen people wounded; one-third have witnessed a massacre and 20% have seen people killed during the war in Syria.