Dubai: Dubai Cares on Tuesday launched a Dh3.8 million programme aimed at easing the pressure on the fractured education system in Iraqi Kurdistan.
The project to be carried out in partnership with Unicef was announced at the 14th edition of the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference and Exhibition.
Titled Access to Quality Education for Internally Displaced, Refugee, Host-Communities, and Other Vulnerable Children, the programme is in line with Dubai Cares’ education in emergencies strategy, designed to provide children affected by conflict and natural disasters with access to safe and predictable learning opportunities that teach them both the academic and social-emotional skills they need to learn and thrive.
Under the programme, two 13-classrooms schools will be constructed in the governorates of Erbil and Sulaimaniyah. Upon completion, at least 1,365 internally displaced persons, refugees, and other vulnerable children will have access to a conducive learning environment. The schools will be staffed by 39 teachers and three head teachers.
Speaking about the organisation’s first programme in Iraqi Kurdistan, Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Cares, said: “The new programme is in partnership with Unicef and in support of the growing number of children who have had their education interrupted by the ongoing conflicts in Syria and Iraq. Through this programme, Dubai Cares is extending a helping hand by ensuring access to safe and quality education and providing children with a sense of normalcy, stability, and hope for the future.”
Dubai Cares’ participation in Dihad 2017 includes an innovative stand that highlights the importance of providing education to children affected by emergencies.
