Education support needed for Syrian children coming to Nova Scotia: aide worker

An East Chezzetcook woman who is working as a refugee support worker in Lebanon says it will be important to properly support Syrian children as they enter Nova Scotia's education system

Ann Schwartz has been in Lebanon in recent weeks helping prepare a report on the European Union's local response to the Syrian refugee crisis.

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She says the Lebanese school system has been challenged by the arrival of 1.2 million Syrian refugees in a country of only 4.4 million people.

"Quality of education is a big problem because here's this school system that's trying to integrate and give access to all the refugee students — but it's difficult with all the large numbers," she said.

Catching up

Schwartz says Syrian children face challenges at school because, while they're able to read and speak Arabic, Lebanon's education system operates largely in English and French.

Schwartz says the same challenges will exist in Nova Scotia.

"Ideally, they would receive some pretty extensive support to catch up on language. English and French skills. They will learn very quickly." she said.

Schwartz says most Syrian refugees in Lebanon live in poverty because of limited employment and because of government restrictions on the type of work they can do.

But she says the Syrian parents she interviewed repeatedly said education for their children was their number one priority, especially after many of them missed years of school during the country's civil war.

"I can't even tell you [...] They are so eager to learn. And they really like the sort of active learning techniques that we have in Canada," she said.

Psychological support

Schwartz says Syrian refugee children will also need psychological support in the schools system to help them recover from the trauma of fleeing a war zone.

"There are going to have to be special efforts to involve them in recreational activities in the school, extracurricular activities. You know, it's going to be hard for them at at first," she said.

Schwartz says she's optimistic about the refugees integration in Nova Scotia.

And she believes Nova Scotians will take a shine to them right away.

"They're going to love them. It'll be instant. Seriously.They're extremely likeable. Despite everything they've been through, they're extremely friendly, kind. They want to share the tiny bit they might have.They're really awesome people," she said.

Soon, Nova Scotians should find out how many federally sponsored Syrian refugees will be arriving here, and when.

Canada's federal immigration minister has promised to announce those details Tuesday.