Syrian students separated from Turks in some Turkish schools
Since the beginning of the steps to integrate Syrian students into Turkish schools, which began in 2015, many school principals have received the matter with difficulty, but with the successive steps taken by the Ministry of Education, the sensitivity has begun to decline. However, some principals, especially in some schools in the city of Reyhanli in the state of Hatay in southern Turkey, were They refuse to integrate these students with their Turkish peers, especially first-grade students, for reasons related to affecting the level of all students in the class, as they claim.
There are many cases whose owners refused to talk about them, but Fatima “M” tells Al-Gharbal magazine that my daughter entered the “Martyr Muhammad Saeed” school this school year, and she is the eldest among my three children. And that my child underwent a UNICEF-supported course in which she attended the Turkish school for a month, which included various activities, but with the start of the school year we were surprised that the class in which my daughter is all Syrian students, and there is no Turkish student among them, as well as the classes of Turkish students do not have any Syrian student.
Fatima adds, it was strange for me as a mother. I want my daughter to learn the Turkish language and integrate into society quickly, and after several days we were invited to the school for a meeting with the class teacher, which included explanations about what is required of the requirements for each student, in addition to recommendations about following up students at home and the need to teach them the language Turkish, in conjunction with school lessons.
She confirms that during discussions with the school, we demanded the inclusion of Syrian and Turkish children in the classrooms, but the teacher said that they were instructions from the school administration, and indeed the principal attended the discussion and said that separating Syrian students from Turks is for the benefit of the students, noting that learning the language for them will be difficult compared to their colleagues Turks.
In the context of her speech, Fatima says, We, as parents, are obliged to accept the matter. I do not know until now if it is feasible or not and if it actually achieves students progress and achievement in the language, and this matter is present in most schools up to the fourth grade. My cousin has a son in the fourth grade and he holds Turkish citizenship after a request from the school administration transferred him to a class of Turkish students. He and another Syrian student in the class, alone, do not have contact with their peers and she regrets that, but it is no longer possible to return him to a class with only Syrian students.
educational opinion
Teacher and educational activist Khaled Al-Mohammed told Al-Gharbal magazine, the isolation of Syrian students from the Turks exists in several schools in Reyhanli, but it is not a general case, and it is contrary to the policies and decisions of the Turkish Directorate of Education. The Syrians are not fluent in the Turkish language, and the situation of children of the same level is in their favour, but this is not true, as he put it.
He adds that some school principals have good intentions, but there is bad faith on the part of the administrators, which is to isolate students for racist motives, and this is very few, and the third reason is due to the occurrence of disputes and problems between Syrian and Turkish students. In secondary schools, the administration may see that Syrian students are objecting to bullying by Turkish students, and it does not find a solution except to isolate, so it takes this step, even though it is educationally ineffective and does not contribute to the integration of Syrians into Turkish society.
What is the opinion of psychiatry on the issue of segregation between students?
Psychological and educational specialist and counselor with psychosocial support, Razan Mustafa, told Al-Gharbal magazine that isolating Syrian students from Turks is educationally wrong, and will definitely affect the psyche of Syrian students. Against the view that calls for integration, if it is from the European Union, which funds education and integration projects for Syrians in Turkey and neighboring countries, especially children who have been affected by the war.
According to Razan, placing Syrian and Turkish students in unified classes with monitors and psychological counselors is the most effective, and greatly contributes to Syrians learning the Turkish language, and breaking barriers between the two groups, especially since children at advanced ages have a greater ability to inculcate values of love and partnership, and at the same time They also have a tendency to receive bad habits, including superiority, racism, and bullying of others.
human rights laws
According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, all children have rights, regardless of who they are, where they live, what language they speak, what their religion, ideas or looks are, whether they are boys or girls, whether they are disabled, rich or poor. , regardless of who their parents or families are, their thoughts and beliefs, or what they do. No child shall be treated unfairly for any reason.
Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states, in summary: “Everyone has the right to education, and education shall be provided free of charge, at least in its primary and basic levels, and primary education shall be compulsory...Education shall aim at the full development of the personality.”
