Egypt's Syrian refugees challenged at every step

As we enter the fourth year of the Syrian crisis, it is time to shine a spotlight on the living conditions of almost four million Syrian refugees who have fled the war to neighboring countries.

In Egypt, for instance, the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has registered 140,000 Syrian refugees. Cairo puts the total figure at 300,000 in June 2013.

As Syrian towns and villages turned into battlefields, refugees came to Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan in search of seeking refuge. When they reached Egypt, political, economic, and security instability inside that country made the search for a stable life all the more difficult.

Last June witnessed a surge in violence and stigmatism directed against the Syrian community in the country. As the military took over the civilian government, a hyperbolic media accused the refugees of taking part in the Muslim Brotherhood's Rabaa Square sit in.

In July 2013, the Egyptian government required Syrians to acquire visas, residency documents, and work permits before entering the country. These restrictions were not in place before and even those who are successful are hindered by lengthy and tedious procedures.

While these measures were implemented as a "temporary security solution", they are still in place today, putting Syrian families in a position of greater socioeconomic hardship, lacking a any access to free public healthcare and education.

While Egypt is a signatory to the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees and its 1967 protocol, it effectively diminished refugee rights as part of its 1981 amendments.

Syrian refugees were granted access to free public education, however they must first jump through several hoops – the first is to seek tuition grants from the Catholic Relief Services, an implementing partner of the UNHCR.

Next, they must have a valid residency permit on an unexpired passport and a rent contract to be able to apply to enroll their children at a public school.

UNICEF has stated that only 53 percent of Syrian children that are eligible to enroll in schools attend, due to the lack of sufficient kindergartens and the inability of other schools to absorb more students.

A 2014 study conducted by the centre for migration and refugee studies at the American University of Cairo found that, among the reasons cited that prevented families from sending girls to pursue work or education in Egypt, is that they are often subject to sexual harassment or unwanted marriage proposals.

"This restriction of movement crippled their ability of women and girls to seek employment opportunities, complete their education, and take part in everyday activities, including activities that had formed an integral part of their daily life in Syria," the report states.

Should the parents pass these challenges then other obstacles can hinder their development at school.

There remains differences in the Egyptian and Syrian dialects, curricula, a lack of equivalency certifications from their previous schools, bullying and violence from students and teachers to overcome.

Overcrowded classrooms also leads to substandard education.

That being said, it is important to note that the 2013-2014 global competitiveness report issued by the World Economic Forum rated Egypt as the worst country in the world in the quality of its primary education.

While it may be a big difference for Syrian refugee children now living in Egypt, the current public education system is the only thing Egyptian children know.

Therefore, it would appear that the entire education framework in Egypt needs roots-and-branch reform so that both Egyptians and non-Egyptian residents can benefit.

Filling the gap

Working under the grand umbrella of the UNHCR Syria regional response plan, several implementing partners and NGOs are working together improve access to education for Syrian refugees.

Tadamon Council works specifically with Syrian children who have already experienced harassment and discrimination at their previous schools, and have set up separate schools for the refugee children as part of its alternative school initiative.

St. Andrews Refugee Services (StARS) have historically supported East African refugees in Egypt since 1979, began running outreach programmes to the Syrian community at the start of the year.

They began slowly with English courses, teacher training for female Syrian educators for Egypt's curriculum, and improving kindergarten and refugee schools in the Cairo suburbs.

A Syrian staff member at StARS who wished to remain anonymous explained that as long as Syrian refugees continue to be treated as second-class citizens, and face systematic challenges in enrolling their children in public education, the situation will never be improved.

UNICEF also provides teaching aids, furniture, toys and training workshops for educators working with Syrian refugee children.

This ranges from training teachers to offering psychological support for children, lessons in creativity and life skills.

Reem Muhanna is the founder and general manager of Otrojja Prekindergarten and is taking part in the course.

She says that inferior education in Egypt has kept many families from sending their children to public schools. Instead, they prefer to have their children home schooled or attend community centres.

As a Syrian Egyptian who has been living in Egypt for decades, Reem has hopes that the Egyptian education system will improve.

"I would love for the Ministry of Education to create a work plan and request from the civil society to take part and contribute as they can," Reem told al-Araby al-Jadeed.

"We need to change the entire system so that both Egyptians and non-Egyptians can benefit. To take better care of the Syrians, we need to take better care of the Egyptians first."