Stephen Harper, Canada’s Prime Minister, announced on Thursday, January 23rd that the Canadian government would continue its support of Jordan in dealing with the ongoing influx of Syrian refugees. Harper announced that the $105 million in aid would go to support Jordan’s Education Reform for the Knowledge Economy program, under the direction of the Ministry of Education. “Jordan continues to show compassion and generosity by receiving Syrian refugees fleeing the crisis in their country. Our government is committed to helping them address the challenges posed by the Syrian conflict,” Harper said.
The conflict in Syria has displaced nearly 2.5 million people since 2011, according to the UNHCR, the UN’s refugee agency. Of those, the UN has registered nearly 176,000 refugees in Jordan, although the Jordanian government estimates that about 250,000 refugees have entered the country.
The massive influx of refugees has put a strain on the infrastructure of neighboring countries—especially on school systems that are often understaffed and underfunded. About 35 percent of the refugees in Jordan are school-aged and now attend Jordanian public schools. The Canadian aid is designed to help facilitate access to education for the Syrian refugees whom the Jordanian system might not otherwise be able to support. “The support announced today will help ensure that all children in Jordan, whether local or refugees, have access to a proper education,” said Harper.
Creative Commons Love: Oxfam International on Flickr.com
Written by Alex Leedom