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ESTABLISHING REMEDIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR REFUGEE CHILDREN

A PRACTICAL GUIDE BASED ON JUSOOR’S PRIMARY EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR SYRIAN REFUGEES IN LEBANON

Maya Alkateb-Chami, Fran Roots, Suha Tutunji

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Establishing Remedial Education Programs for Refugee Children: A Practical Guide Based on Jusoor’s Primary Education Program for Syrian Refugees in Lebanon

By Maya Alkateb-Chami, Fran Roots, and Suha Tutunji

Jusoor2090 Pacific Avenue #305San Francisco, CA 94109, USAinfo@jusoorsyria.comwww.jusoorsyria.com

First editionJune 2017

This resource was developed with support from the Varkey Foundation through a Challenge Fund Grant. Please acknowledge Jusoor when quoting from or using this manual, and contact Jusoor with any feedback or suggestions for improvement at info@jusoorsyria.com.

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ContentsIntroduction 4

About Jusoor 5

- I - Emergency education in Lebanon and the need for a remedial education program 8

- II - Considerations when starting a remedial education program 10

- III - Starting-up 14

- IV - Setting-up 17

- V - Teacher recruitment, training, and support 21

- VI - Student enrolment, registration, and attrition 25

- VII - Scheduling and the curriculum 27

- VIII - Extra-curricular and non-academic components 32

- IX - Student evaluation and advancement 34

- X - Capitalizing on partnerships 35

- XI - Program evaluation 38

Appendices

Appendix 1: Directors’ job descriptions 39

Appendix 2: Initial and annual action planning 42

Appendix 3: Staff organogram 44

Appendix 4: Sample budget 45

Appendix 5: Teacher recruitment 47

Appendix 6: Student path and registration 49

Appendix 7: Sample of scope and sequence: 50

Appendix 8: Summer Volunteer Program application 51

Appendix 9: Partnership agreement sample 53

Appendix 10: Volunteer guidelines and agreement – Jusoor program in Lebanon 55

About the authors 58

Acknowledgements 58

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IntroductionThis manual describes Jusoor’s educational program in Lebanon, launched in 2013, to help out-of-school Syrian refugee children. Thanks to the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE)’s policy to allow Syrian children to attend the second shift in Lebanese public schools1, Syrian children living in Lebanon have the opportunity to continue their education. Unfortunately, many of them have already missed several years of schooling and fall behind their age cohort in both skills and knowledge. Others struggle with the language of the curriculum. Classes from primary education level upwards in Lebanon are taught in English or French, not Arabic as in Syria. Still others are disturbed by their recent experiences and find it difficult to settle in a Lebanese classroom.

With an estimated 200,000 Syrian children in Lebanon out of school in 2016, the need for non-formal education programs to bring Syrian children up to the point where they can easily integrate into Lebanese schools is enormous. Jusoor’s educational centers in Lebanon have been set up to meet this need, and have earned acclaim for providing appropriate, high quality remedial education for out-of-school Syrian children. The proof of this is the fact that more than 50% of Jusoor students transfer smoothly into Lebanese schools each year, while others continue with Jusoor an additional year of remedial education.

Over the last three years, Jusoor staff have provided teacher training and assessment assistance on an ad hoc basis to local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Lebanon. The demand for this training, as well as for materials and program plans, by other organizations working in Lebanon is increasing. We have compiled this resource to share Jusoor’s experiences and best practice, in the hope that Jusoor’s model can be replicated more widely in Lebanon and the region, and be of service to a global network of organizations working with refugee children. Jusoor welcomes feedback on this resource to improve the program in the future.

This manual starts with an overview of the organization’s various programs, and then discusses emergency education in Lebanon, and key issues to consider before starting an emergency education program. From Section 3 to 10, the manual focusses on the educational centers. It begins with how to start the program and set up the centers, and moves on to hiring and training teachers, registering students, setting the curriculum, and creating a student evaluation system. Also included is a short description of the variety of partnerships that are assisting the educational centers in achieving their goals. Finally, the manual looks at ways to assess the quality of the educational program, and how improvements could be made. A collection of sample documents, diagrams, and forms is included as additional resources in 10 appendices.

Jusoor has thoroughly researched all aspects of running educational centers that meet the needs of young out-of-school refugee children, and continues to seek ways to ensure that they do not miss more years of education while in Lebanon. Three education centers in Lebanon are not nearly enough to make a significant difference to the hundreds of thousands of Syrian children deprived by the war of their right to education but they have a huge positive impact on the lives of the approximately 3500 students and their families that have been involved with Jusoor, and can serve as an example to other organizations who are interested in doing something similar.

Training teachers on the Jusoor methodology also reaches hundreds of refugee children in other places. The great tragedy of the Syrian crisis is that without education, the next generation of Syrians will not have the skills and knowledge to rebuild their country, leading to further chaos and conflict. It is the hope for a better future for Syria and young Syrians that makes initiatives like the Jusoor educational centers so imperative now.

1 MEHE created a second (afternoon) shift in Lebanese public primary schools in 2014 to provide spaces for refugee children. Not all public schools have engaged in this effort

yet, but the policy has allowed thousands of Syrian children to continue their education.

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About JusoorJusoor is a US 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization founded by a group of Syrian expatriates dedicated to supporting their country’s development. It helps Syrian children and young people achieve their potential through programs in primary, remedial, and tertiary education, career development, and global community engagement. Founded in 2011, Jusoor is an independent, non-political, non-religious organization raising its own funds for specific focused activities within its remit . Jusoor is also registered as a charity in both Canada and the UK.

The organization’s goals: • Supporting Syrian children living outside Syria to continue their primary education • Helping Syrian students to attain academic scholarships at top universities across the US, Canada, Europe, and the Middle East• Providing study abroad mentorship for students requiring help in their university application process• Helping Syrians develop their careers with workshops on CV writing, job interviews, and improving their career portfolios• Enabling young Syrian entrepreneurs to strengthen their leadership skills and launch their start-up enterprises with training, seed

funding, and ongoing mentorship• Connecting the global Syrian community to work together towards achieving these goals

Jusoor has achieved several notable successes since its establishment, including:• Enrolling more than 3,500 children in our Refugee Education Program in Lebanon• Creating a Network of 120,000+ people across 40 countries engaged with Jusoor • Supporting 173 students with university scholarships and enabling 317 students to work towards tertiary degrees through our

partnership with the Institute of International Education• Making connections between 1000+ young Syrians interested in Entrepreneurship and more than 200 Syrian Entrepreneurs• Providing mentoring to 557 individuals seeking advice on studying abroad• Holding community and information sharing events in nine cities to date: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Detroit, New York, Toronto,

London, Beirut, Dubai, and Berlin.

Key programs:Refugee Education Program for ChildrenJusoor has been working with Syrian refugees in Lebanon since June 2013, with the aim of ensuring that Syrian refugee children in Lebanon receive a holistic, well-rounded primary education with integration into formal schooling whenever possible. The program uses stimulating and relevant curricula and child-centered teaching methods, and provides strong psycho-social support within the framework of community engagement.

Jusoor’s refugee education program in Lebanon supports about 1,300 children annually in three non-formal educational centers, where it provides remedial education to children aged 5 to 14, enabling them to transfer into local public schools when spaces open up for them and as they become ready to join. The Jusoor refugee education program also includes a structured summer volunteer program, where young people from North America, Europe, and the Middle East assist with summer activities at Jusoor centers for three weeks and learn first-hand about the refugee crisis. Through a recent partnership with the Varkey Foundation, Jusoor was able to reach more children in need through training teachers in Syria’s neighboring countries (Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq, and Egypt) in child-focused non-formal education techniques used in an emergency education context.

2 For more information, see Jusoor’s website www.jusoorsyria.com

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Scholarship ProgramTo date, Jusoor has supported almost 500 students to enroll in undergraduate and graduate programs at universities in North America, Europe, and the Middle East. Jusoor assists with the application process and identification of appropriate scholarships or grants, and provides partial or full scholarships, and more recently loans, to needy students. Key partnerships are with the Institute of International Education, Illinois Institute of Technology, Oxford University, Cambridge University, London School of Economics, Education USA, Monmouth College, and most recently Wilfred Laurier University. Jusoor recently launched two new scholarship programs: The 100 Syrian Women, 10,000 Syrian Lives Program, which aims to address the challenges that Syrian women face in accessing higher education; and the Jusoor Hardship Fund, which provides much-needed financial assistance to students who are already enrolled at university outside Syria, but at risk of dropping out due to financial constraints. This last program offers assistance in the form of micro-credit rolling loans, in which repaid loans are used to support other students in the future.

Entrepreneurship ProgramThe Entrepreneurship Program aims to create a strong collaborative community for young Syrian entrepreneurs to learn from successful business people, peers, and role models. It identifies the start-up challenges for small businesses and helps guide new entrepreneurs through the early stages of developing their business. This program is composed of training boot-camps in entrepreneurship, an entrepreneurship competition, the winners of which receive seed-funding for their projects, and online mentorship sessions for entrepreneurs. Now in its third year of operation, the Entrepreneurship Program has grown significantly in terms of numbers of participants and partner organizations and companies, including Boeing, ArabNet, Startup Next, Beirut Digital District, MIT Enterprise Forum, the Asfari Foundation, and Step Conference. Young professionals interested in receiving Jusoor’s training and financial support compete in the entrepreneurship competition’s start-up and networking tracks.

Academic and Career Mentorship ProgramsThrough the Study Abroad Mentorship Program, Jusoor offers guidance to students needing help in their university application processes and seeking more information on academic choices and studying abroad. The program connects expatriate Syrians and other volunteers with highly ambitious students in Syria and neighboring countries. Mentees and Mentors are matched based on the country or region where the student is interested in studying, the field of study the student is pursuing, or a specific university the student is hoping to apply to. The Jusoor Career Development Program was launched to support Syrian youth in finding work opportunities outside Syria that align with their talent and skills. It provides mentorship through public information and training sessions, where participants improve their CV writing and other professional development skills.

Annual Global ConferencesJusoor’s annual conferences bring together primarily Syrian but also other communities from around the world to exchange and develop ideas and build partnerships. Conference themes focus on persevering with education, encouraging career development, maximizing economic opportunities, and enabling social integration in whichever country young Syrians find themselves in. The conferences aim to provide space for sharing information and generating optimism and solidarity to counteract the despair and tragedy of the Syrian conflict, and to ensure that there is no ‘Lost Generation’ of Syrian youth. Drawing upon the experience and expertise of corporations, non-profit organizations, community leaders, and established Syrian communities in Europe, Jusoor links and strengthens the Syrian diaspora to support Syrian youth to thrive academically and make a better future for themselves. Previous conferences have taken place in New York, London, Los Angeles, Dubai and Berlin.

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I - Emergency education in Lebanon and the need for a remedial education programThe disruption of education for Syrian children has been one of the worst consequences of the six-year conflict in Syria. Years of schooling lost directly correlate to poorer employment prospects and increased social disadvantage in years to come. In addition, it has long been recognized that the role of school in a child’s life is much more than an educational institution. Like children everywhere, Syrian children living outside Syria need a focus and a routine in their new lives, to be mentally stimulated and intellectually challenged in an environment that is safe, geared towards their interests and needs, and one that enables them to grow and develop their confidence, skills, and abilities. They also need social interaction with other children and discipline and care from dedicated teachers who help them develop into positive, healthy, and engaged young people.

The Jusoor program is one of a few NGO initiatives that directly address this huge need by providing non-formal education to out-of-school Syrian children in Lebanon. The aim is to bring Syrian children together in small organized classes, to familiarize them with the Lebanese curriculum, and to teach them enough English to be placed in the appropriate grade in Lebanese schools, increasing their chances of success and reducing the likelihood of them dropping out of school later. Using trained Syrian teachers, a sequenced language learning program, and child-centered teaching methods, Jusoor enrolls about 1300 students a year in its three centers, providing remedial help for children struggling to make up for the years of schooling they have missed.

Jusoor invests in training its teachers so that they can provide the best practices in emergency education for the students. Being refugees themselves, the teachers understand what the children are experiencing and do their best to provide a warm, welcoming, and predictable environment in an otherwise haphazard and sometimes hostile world. They also speak the same native language of the students and their parents, are familiar with where these families are coming from, and can contextualize their experiences, allowing for better accommodation of the children’s educational needs.

An underlying premise of the program is the fact that although the situation of the refugees in Lebanon is temporary and uncertain, it could last for years, and efforts should be made to ‘normalize’ the situation for children as soon as possible. For Jusoor, this means establishing educational centers with classroom routines, contracted teachers, and an air of stability and permanence, as similar to a formal school as possible, so the children quickly settle into a structured educational environment. One of the reasons behind the success of the Jusoor refugee education program is the recognition that their school days will quickly become the new reality for the refugee children, and these should be productive, organized, and meaningful, so no more time is lost from the child’s education.

Another important premise is the recognition that Jusoor’s educational model does not, nor is intended to, replace the public education system in the students’ host country; Lebanon. As such, the program is explicitly formulated and designed as a remedial education one, aiming for the students benefiting from it to transition to public school as soon as possible (normally within one to two years). The program does not enroll students unless there are no spaces for them in public school or there are restrictions or circumstances preventing them from enrolling. With that aim in mind, Jusoor’s educational centers open after enrolment has taken place in public schools, and use an adapted version of the Lebanese public school curriculum, so the students will be able to transition into the public school system as smoothly as possible.

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II - Considerations when starting a remedial education programThere are many non-educational issues to consider before starting a remedial education program. They illustrate the complexity of such a venture, quite apart from questions of curriculum, texts, teachers, and evaluation, and should be considered before implementation could go ahead. Many of these issues will be relevant in any country where a refugee education program is being established. The following ones have significantly affected decisions made by Jusoor before its three educational centers were opened in Lebanon. Jusoor has found the process of setting up its educational centers in Lebanon challenging but extremely rewarding, and hopes that its successes can be replicated elsewhere.

1. The political environment:Until now, there has been little political commitment to the education of Syrian children in Lebanon, and the Lebanese Ministry of Education’s acceptance of Syrian children in the second shift has been grudging. Current government bureaucracy hinders the set-up and functioning of Jusoor educational centers, as they, and other non-formal ‘feeder’ schools are not officially recognized as a much-needed complementary component of the national primary education system.

Currently, Lebanon is going through a period of political and economic instability, and the capacity of already inadequate systems and infrastructure is further weakened by the huge numbers of refugees. NGOs and other organizations that work with refugees must maintain a strict political and religious neutrality, and adhere closely to all regulations and laws, as their official position is quite tenuous. There are various security issues that affect all schools in Lebanon, but some may be more significant for educational centers for refugees if the threat is specifically targeting certain groups. Jusoor is careful to be neutral, maintains good relations with everyone and has been able to avoid confrontations with religious groups and political parties. On occasion the educational centers have been closed temporarily if there was thought to be any risk to students or staff.

2. Availability of resources:Although the crisis in Syria is now in its sixth year, many donors still look upon the Syrian refugee situation as a temporary emergency, and therefore eligible for short-term funding only. Schools need reliable, consistent, long-term funding, especially for teachers’ salaries, as they cannot function effectively without knowing whether they will still be open next term. Parents will also lose interest if the school is not a reliable, established presence in the neighborhood.

Lack of adequate funding severely restricts the size and location of a school, the amount and quality of equipment and resources available for teachers and students, opportunities for sports and other extra-curricular programs, and the level of salary and amount of training the school can offer its teachers, among other things. It needs to be carefully considered what size and scope of program the available funds will permit- with a limited budget, it is preferable to prioritize the quality of education over the numbers of students enrolled, even though the need is great, to avoid the scenario familiar to public schools in under-developed countries where large numbers of students go through school without learning much.

The availability of human resources is also crucial. There must be enough educated people in the local refugee population to be recruited as teachers for the education centers, and support in the community for a school. Ideally there will also be donors and volunteers in the host community to assist with setting up and running a school.

Material resources are relatively easy to acquire in countries like Lebanon, where empty buildings that could be turned into schools are available, and there are private transportation companies and surplus school supplies, but most business deals depend on personal connections and operating costs are high.

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3. Working with transient populations:As in most refugee situations, the Syrian refugees in Lebanon are not a stable population. They face many challenges- from acquiring the necessary documentation to stay in Lebanon and the high cost of accommodation and food, to hostility or discrimination from the local population and political insecurity, to the prospect of better conditions elsewhere. Families may move unexpectedly if they are evicted or given the opportunity to emigrate. The children may be pulled out of school to work. Many students walk into school in the middle of the academic year, and placing them in the right level is difficult as well as stressful on the teachers and other students if classes need to be split or regrouped. Drop-outs, walk-ins and periodic absences disrupt the classes and makes it difficult for teachers to plan lessons and maintain continuity and control.

Teachers recruited from the refugee population are also highly transient. They may have unsettled home lives or personal issues that prevent them from holding a steady job. Many of them will be ceaselessly searching for new opportunities for further education or better-paying jobs, and the most energetic and adaptable, who are often the best teachers, will be the most successful. It is not merely a question of money, though salary scales are an important consideration. Coping with high teacher turnover is a challenge for the School Principal and program’s Academic Director, especially in the middle of term. An up-to-date list of already trained stand-by teachers must be maintained to fill any gaps quickly.

4. Attitudes towards education: Jusoor works hard to convince parents in community meetings and home visits that education is important for the child, the family, and the future. Not all parents are committed to sending their children to school on a regular basis, as the need for income generation for the family is pressing. This is especially the case after the students graduates from Jusoor as many parents have a low opinion of the quality of public education in Lebanon, and do not see the point of sending their children to Lebanese schools once they can read and write. Also, some families prefer to keep the girls at home for early marriage or presumed safety. Both the Principal and the Academic Director devote time to visiting the families of drop-outs to convince them of the value of education for their children.

Children whose education has been disrupted and who have spent several years working may also be reluctant to return to school, and will need persuading of its importance. This is less the case with younger children, who usually want to be in school and are quite receptive to what the teacher is asking them to do. Jusoor teachers try to make the time at school fun and interesting so that children will want to attend regularly despite all the factors working against their doing so.

5. Community dynamics:There are complex personal dynamics in all communities but particularly in ad hoc refugee settlements, where influential members may try to control or benefit from any initiative involving refugees. This can amount to bribery, or a form of coercion about who may or may not attend school. Or it might take the form of monopolistic ownership of transport, utilities, equipment or services that the school or community needs to function. Jusoor strives for open access for all school-aged Syrian children in its catchment area without getting involved in community politics or cartels but it has been difficult and expensive.

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6. Language of instruction:Effective remedial education for refugees should bridge the language gap between the students’ mother tongue and the language of instruction in the host country schools. The Syrian students’ native language (and that of the Lebanese host population) is Arabic, but the languages of instruction in Lebanese schools are either English or French. Jusoor has chosen to prepare students for transition into English language schools, so each grade has a daily English lesson, and other classes such as Math and Science are taught in Arabic, but English vocabulary is incorporated at every opportunity. Teachers and other staff at the school are expected to speak English as often as possible, and since most are refugees themselves and may not have good command of English, they are offered classes to improve their language skills. In some schools, Lebanese teachers are hired to teach English classes. Signs, instructions, labels, and notices at the educational centers are in English.

In host countries where the local language is different from the refugees’ own, language plays an even more important role in social integration and acceptance by the local community, and more emphasis needs to be put on ensuring that the students pick up the new language quickly.

7. Jusoor values:Jusoor educational centers were established to reflect key values of the organization: commitment to education, support to the Syrian community, peace-building, openness, respect for one another, and shared problem solving. These values are discussed in depth in teacher training workshops and during Circle Time in class, and all staff are expected to be positive role models. Jusoor believes it is important to instill a sense of self-confidence in the children, and the hope for a better future, to help them navigate this difficult period in their lives. The Circle Time and Identity Building sessions emphasize to the children that as Syrians, they are part of a strong and dynamic community with a rich history and that they will be expected to participate in rebuilding their country when the time comes.

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III - Starting-upStarting any project, program, or business is exciting, daunting, and important to do properly. Good planning is essential, as is the participation of highly motivated and experienced individuals to guide the process. Jusoor recommends the following sequence of steps, from the formation of a start-up committee to securing sufficient funds to launch the program, as a logical start-up process.

Start-up committeeLaunching an emergency education program takes careful planning, and the commitment of some dedicated individuals. In the Jusoor program (with the three educational centers for Syrian refugee children in Lebanon) there are two key individuals who lead and inspire the process. One of these is the Program Director, who articulates the vision, fundraises, plans, and ensures that basic management and operational systems are developed. The other is the Academic Director who is responsible for oversight of the academic program, covering school management, enrolment, curriculum details, books and materials, staff recruitment, etc. The description of these two roles is in Appendix 1. Working together, these two directors will establish a start-up committee to prepare a plan of action and agree on tasks.

Ideally, in addition to the Program Director and Academic Director, membership of the start-up committee should include someone from the local community, a child psychologist or health specialist, a finance specialist/ accountant, a lawyer, and a person with a link to the public education system. While these roles could overlap, the advantage of having such a diverse committee is that all aspects of the new program can be handled by a knowledgeable person, whether they are legal or technical issues, accreditation, curriculum modification, psychosocial wellbeing, communication with local authorities, fundraising, etc. The start-up committee can be disbanded once the school program is underway, though usually some of the members remain involved in various capacities, not least of which is to assist with networking in their specialist area and to provide a sounding board for the two Directors.

Needs analysisBefore starting any educational program, a needs analysis should be carried out to gather relevant information that will be used to shape the program. This will be based on information available from UNHCR refugee mapping and/or statistics provided by municipal officials on an area known to host refugees. Additionally, multiple visits to the targeted neighborhood, door to door visits, interviews with parents, children, and community elders/ leaders are the most important and effective means of gathering pertinent information. These visits also allow the organization to get a feel for the situation on the ground and the needs of the community. Data should be collected on the number of out-of-school children (compared to the number of children from the same area in school), the age range, number of years of past schooling/ level of educational attainment, home circumstances, mother tongue, environmental factors such as safety, transport, community networks, reasons for not attending school, and any other relevant information. It is essential that the parents and community leaders (as well as the Ministry of Education) want and support the school, otherwise it is likely that the children will not attend.

Ideally the organization will have a spokesperson or champion living in the area- this could be a local community leader or other respected individual who will be influential in getting the school started. A public meeting could be held to outline the purpose and scope of the school, and to clear up any misconceptions, such as the slant of the curriculum, the fees, etc. This is a good time to encourage community involvement, mobilize additional resources, and address any security or protection concerns. This is also an opportunity to mention that the school will be looking for teachers, teaching assistants, bus drivers, cleaners, a security guard, etc. The start-up committee can then analyze the information collected from the community to establish and clarify the type and scope of any programming and the curriculum that will be used for the program- e.g. in the case of Jusoor’s educational centers, the program was formulated as remedial education for lower primary school (Grades 1 to 3) students aged 5 to 14, and the decision to follow an adapted Lebanese curriculum was made. Armed with these decisions, the Academic Director can begin to lay the foundations of the program.

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It is important not to start with a fixed idea, for example, to establish a school in a certain location, and then bend all plans and operations to fit that location, before completing the needs analysis. As this manual shows, there are many aspects to consider when setting up and running an effective emergency education program, and it is worth taking the time at the beginning to thoroughly investigate all angles before spending the money and raising expectations. The information provided by the needs analysis can also be used to justify to the Ministry of Education, community leaders, and other influential people why a particular location was chosen to establish the school instead of another.

Institutional linksAs mentioned above and elsewhere in this manual, good relations with the local Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) can make all the difference to the success of the project. Although the Government of Lebanon, under the UNHCR’s Lebanese Crisis Response Plan (LCRP)3 has agreed to the National Framework for the Regularization of Non-Formal Education, it has yet to put this fully into practice, and an accreditation process has not been developed. It is therefore up to the Program Director or Academic Director to contact MEHE and negotiate a workable relationship. Ideally the person responsible for refugee education, primary education, or curriculum development at MEHE will take an interest in the project and support it in ensuing discussions. This support will be useful on many levels- for example; when looking for a building to rent, advertising the school to parents, sharing the curriculum, textbooks, and other national resources, allowing graduates to enter the public schools, and inclusion in professional development or education policy discussions and conferences. Jusoor has found it very helpful to have a wide variety of contacts in Lebanon, both national and international organization and companies for information gathering and sharing. In all three neighborhoods where the schools are located, the Academic Director has reached out to other non-governmental or community-based organizations working in education to seek synchronicity and collaboration where possible and, sometimes, to share resources. These groups may have invaluable experience or advice, or be able to join forces to lobby the Government of Lebanon or UNHCR in relation to a particular issue.

Program fundingThe costs of setting up and running a school are quite high. For Jusoor’s educational centers in Lebanon, teacher and staff salaries make up the bulk of the budget, followed by transportation costs for the children, and rent of the school buildings and utilities- though these depend on the area. Costs can be mitigated to a large extent by volunteerism, donations in kind (for example, the use of a building in exchange for maintenance and upkeep), and sharing resources with other organizations (for example, splitting the cost of the rent with a vocational training center that will hold classes in the evenings when the school is empty). If the school project is registered as a charity, it may not have to pay annual municipality taxes, or could be eligible for lower water and electricity rates.

At present, Jusoor covers almost all the costs of its schools, either through individual and corporate donations or through grants. Parents and community members are encouraged to contribute what they can towards the school, in order that they feel some sense of ownership and responsibility towards it. This contribution could take the form of labor- assisting with erecting a fence around the playground, participation on a parents’ committee, etc. Local businesses should be canvassed for support- for example they may be able to donate paint for the classrooms or school supplies.

Fundraisers for the school should be familiar with the budget and cost per student, so they can present accurate figures to any potential donor who may wish to fund specific items, such as school supplies for a year, a new photocopier, or the salaries of ten teachers for a year. UNHCR, UNICEF, and several multilateral donors sometimes have funds for refugee education that can be applied for, though it is rare that these are made available to remedial education programs, despite the obvious need.

3 See http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/download.php?id=11836

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IV - Setting-upThe Start-Up Committee will be responsible for developing a Plan of Action, which includes the goals and values of the school, implementation timeframe and school calendar, the numbers of classes and students, the number, types and qualifications of teachers, roles and responsibilities of staff members, curriculum to be followed, evaluation methodology and student assessments, budget, building and maintenance requirements, and needed equipment, among other things.

Appendix 2 contains an example of an Initial Plan of Action for the Set-Up phase, as well as a sample Annual Action Plan.

School buildingWhile the Plan of Action is being developed, the search for a suitable building can start. The building need not be an actual school, as an apartment, villa, factory, garage, or tent could be adapted for the purpose. However, the basic components must be available. These are:

1. Secure and safe location, where the children will not be exposed to dangers such as air or water pollution, open sewers/ toxic waste, attack /street violence, and traffic hazards.

2. Adequate bathrooms, preferably the same style as the children have in their homes, with running water/ access to a water supply, sufficient for the number of girls and boys served by the school. It is also preferable to have a separate bathroom for use by teachers and staff.

3. Large rooms for classrooms, in which 25 children can be seated comfortably, with good lighting, wall space for black/white boards, and a door that closes firmly.

4. Sufficient heating/cooling appliances as required by the climate.5. Adequate space fenced off outdoors for a playground/ sports/ assembly area. If the location of the school building does not allow

for a playground, then a nearby vacant lot, football field or gym in a local school should be found and rented to give the children a much-needed safe space to run around and play, especially in urban areas.

Ideally there will also be a separate room for the office/ teachers’ room, and a multi-purpose space for a library, meetings, or one-to-one teaching. If there is not sufficient natural light in the classrooms and hallway, light fixtures must be installed. There should also be a kitchen and a lockable storage area. The largest of Jusoor’s centers has an additional classroom for students who join at different points in the middle of the school year, where a designated teacher helps them catch up to the curriculum before they join the regular classrooms.

The area where most refugee children live would be the most obvious choice of location for a school but if a suitable building is not available there, or the area is not safe, then provision of transport to the next nearest location should be planned. The provision of transport adds significantly to the cost, complexity of scheduling, and safety considerations, but may allow access for more children from a wider area to come to a more suitable and better equipped school.

EquipmentIt is essential that the school has appropriate basic furniture and equipment. Each classroom should contain at least the following: a black/ white board, teacher’s desk and chair, and suitably-sized desks sufficient for the students to sit comfortably. Many primary school teachers prefer the children to sit in groups at tables, so they can share scissors, paint, and other resources and work on group projects together. All classrooms should also have a wastepaper bin, shelves for books and supplies, and wall space for hanging posters, charts, and children’s work.

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The Staffroom or Principal’s office should have desks for the teachers to work at, shelves for books, paper, and supplies, a photocopier, computer(s) and printer(s), a notice board, and a wastepaper bin. A photocopy machine or scanner at the school premises could be very useful for copying educational resources, quizzes, and even parts of the curriculum as needed.

The multi-purpose room should have tables and chairs that can be folded or put away when used as an assembly hall. The library need not have chairs if it is carpeted. There should be a drinking water supply that is accessible to the students, but if the water at the school location is assessed as not safe for the children to drink, an alternative water source should be secured or the students should be advised to bring their own drinking water.

The playground should have some recreation equipment if possible, such as swings, slides, roundabouts, and climbing structures. These can be home-made from tires, welded rails, and knotted ropes. Equipment should be checked regularly to ensure it is safe. If the area is paved, it can be painted with lines and circles for ball games, and ideally at least part of the playground area should be shaded. Special consideration should be made for safety around the swings, slides, and climbing structures, and if possible rubber matting should be installed on the ground in this area to prevent injury.

Personnel The Academic Director will decide on the staffing needed for the school when the number of classes and the program have been decided. The responsibilities and expectations, terms and conditions offered to staff, salary scale, and other issues must be clearly set out and explained to the staff. An example of an organogram for school staff is in Appendix 3, showing the lines of management responsibility.

Each school will have a Principal, and depending on the size of the school, also a Deputy Principal, who may be a teacher as well. Larger schools could also have an Administrative Assistant to help with registration, ordering supplies, and communications, and with organizing transportation for students.

The standard class size in Jusoor educational centers is 25 children with one teacher, and ideally a Teacher Assistant per class. This number of children/ class should not be exceeded, as a child-centered curriculum depends on the teacher having sufficient time to focus on children individually, which is impossible to do with larger classes. This is particularly the case when children have had their education disrupted and find it hard to settle down in class. It is better to add another class and decrease the class size, than overfill a class and decrease the quality of education. The number of teachers and assistants needed can then be calculated depending on the size of the projected intake.

It is essential that teachers are adequately paid, as their job is demanding and stressful, with long hours of both teaching and lesson preparation. There should also be a budget set aside for ongoing support and teacher training, as it has great impact on teachers’ commitment and attitude, the atmosphere of the school, and how the students learn. Jusoor believes in investing in its teachers, as increasing their skills and professionalism is another way of providing much-needed support to the refugee community.

Schools working with refugee children should have a trained Psychological Counselor/ child psychologist on staff as many children will have been traumatized by their experiences and need help to cope with their emotional and psychological stress. Some children may have problems at home or find it hard to get along with other children, so the Counselor can spend time with them, meet the parents and together explore ways for the child to overcome these challenges. The Psychological Counselor mainly works with the teachers to increase their capacity to deal with students in such difficult circumstances. See the section below on Psycho-social support for more information.

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Another key person is the Remedial teacher, who takes children who are having difficulties following a lesson out of class for a limited period to work with them one-to-one on specific skills or topics. This role is especially important in situations where students could join the class in the middle of the school year, which is common with refugee populations. The Remedial teacher should be a qualified teacher or have worked as a Teaching Assistant, and may be hired on a part time basis.

Both the Counselor and the Remedial teacher will need a quiet space where they can work with individual children. This could be the library, assembly room or corner in the hallway as long as it is relatively private and free from distractions.It is sometimes possible to find a volunteer or a parent to come in to teach Art or Sports, or facilitate the Library sessions, otherwise class teachers lead these classes and activities themselves. Other school personnel include a cleaner and a caretaker, who could also take on the functions of a maintenance person, doorman and/or security guard.

Budgeting The budget of a school should include the following:

1. Set-up costs, including repairs and renovations, furniture, equipment and installation of utilities and services- these are substantial but usually one-off costs.

2. Annual payments such as council or municipal taxes and rent- efforts should be made to see if a waiver from the Ministry can be obtained for these or a building could be donated/borrowed.

3. Personnel costs- salaries, recruitment, and training costs for teaching and academic staff. A systemic annual increment system could be installed from the beginning or added later. A budget for bonuses should also be included.

4. Personnel costs- salaries of administrative staff such as a manager and an accountant. These could be split up between schools if such staff is responsible for several of them. Other functions like taking care of information technology, marketing, and delivering special projects could be done by part-time staff or volunteers, or by consultants.

5. Transportation for students and teachers as needed or possible, transportation for management to get school supplies or for senior management to carry out assessments, and transportation for school outings or enrichment activities for the students.

6. Maintenance and utility (water, electricity, fuel/heating, phone, and internet) bills.7. Books, stationery, and students’ items, sports equipment and games.8. Office supplies.9. Cleaning supplies.10. First aid kit, fire extinguishers.11. Meeting, training sessions, and conference expenses.12. External accounting, legal fees, and insurance costs. 13. Software and IT fees, such as annul website costs and accounting software. 14. Fund for special educational activities such as school trips.

Each Principal is responsible for managing a small budget that covers day-to-day running costs for the school. Funding for any extra activities, such as school outings, can be requested as needed from the designated accounts person on the team and spent within the limits of the pre-set budget.

See Appendix 4 for a sample budget.

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V - Teacher recruitment, training, and supportRecruitmentOne of the first people to recruit is the school Principal or head teacher. The Principal should be an experienced teacher as well as a practiced administrator, as he/ she will be responsible for day to day management as well as keeping an eye on the teachers and the progress of the students. Interview questions for all staff but particularly principals should be aimed at finding out about their previous working experiences, their pedagogic philosophy, preferred management style, and how committed they are to team working, which is essential in small, community-based schools. The Principal should be involved in hiring new teachers as they will need to build up a close-knit and cooperative team, and will also be responsible for identifying training needs. In an emergency education context, it has been Jusoor’s experience that principals do best when they have had previous experience with social work or community engagement. Such principals are better equipped to interact, motivate others, and face emerging problems in this specific context, where the school is newly established, the levels of stress in the community could be high, and relationships with the host community are being built day by day. Jusoor has found that recruiting school principals with such experience and capacity has been more important than an academic background in education, as the latter could be more easily acquired on the job.

The most effective way to attract teachers is to spread the news in the host community. The ideal teacher would come from the same community as the students and have a good understanding of their situation- he or she may be a refugee themselves. Ideally, recruits will be trained or experienced teachers with some experience in emergency or non-formal education, but personality, approach, and motivation are equally important. Teaching in a non-formal setting is different, and in many ways more challenging, from teaching in formal schools, and as such requires sympathetic, creative, and flexible individuals who can identify and nourish each child’s potential. The pay scale should be sufficient to attract the best and brightest young people, who are interested in learning and being part of the school family, and also committed to giving the children the best possible learning experience. The Principal should aim for a gender balance among staff, if possible, to give both girls and boys positive role models.

Before hiring personnel for the school, the Academic Director should decide whether to run a home-room teacher-based school or a subject-room based school. Home room teachers are usually preferred for younger children, as this gives them a sense of stability and continuity. Specialized subject classrooms can be ideal for older students. Teachers need to be informed of the system before hiring, as some may not be comfortable in a home-room style situation.

It is common in emergency education situations for refugee schools to be set up according to the system from the refugees’ home country, to provide a sense of familiarity and future for the children. However, Jusoor recommends that the educational system followed at the school be modelled on that of the public school system in the host country, as the main goal is for all children to eventually join Lebanese public schools for Jusoor’s students, and as such, the curriculum taught is modelled on the Lebanese curriculum.

In addition to hiring teachers in consultation with the Academic Director, the Principal should keep a list of potential replacements and invite them to the regular teacher-training workshops, so they can start and catch up quickly in case a teacher drops out at short notice. See Appendix 5 for more information about the teacher recruitment process.

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Pre- and in-service trainingPre-service training is held the week before the start of the school year, and is augmented by specialized training throughout the academic year. The first training for new teachers is an induction into the Jusoor ethos and values. A lot of emphasis is placed on the psychosocial wellbeing of the child, non-violent discipline, and individual learning. Equally important is Jusoor’s team approach, in which teachers are expected to work together, and share resources, ideas and problems. Additionally, the Psychological Counselor runs frequent sessions on child development, inter-personal communications and ways to create mutual support mechanisms.

Regardless of how experienced the teacher is, he or she is given initial training in emergency education methodology, based on the Inter-Agency Network for Emergency Education (INEE) Minimum Standards for Emergency Education, and best practice to teach core competencies, adapt available materials and resources, prepare constructive activities, and evaluate learning outcomes.

The teacher training sessions are implemented in sequence starting with lesson planning and classroom management, student assessment, peace education, activity-based classrooms, teaching vocabulary, and being creative with limited resources. In addition, teachers are also given some tips on how to manage multi-level classrooms, diversity, gender sensitivity, and emotional stress. Other training components focus on psychological support for children and extracurricular activities.

When possible, Jusoor sends its teachers to English language courses to improve their fluency, and throughout the year they are encouraged to work on their English language skills, practicing at every opportunity, especially with the foreign visitors who visit Jusoor educational centers, either as volunteers or researchers. Since the students will be transferring into English language schools, hearing English from their teachers and seeing it written around the classroom is important.

A second training is conducted in December/ January; it introduces new skills and follows up on the September training, based on classroom observations by the Principal of classes taught during the first term. The third session, before the summer term, is an iteration of the previous trainings and tailored assistance for specific topics or activities. This training also looks ahead to the end of term assessments, to guide teachers as they start thinking about whether their students are ready to transfer into public Lebanese schools and succeed there. This assessment is done by the teachers and Principal, and often the Academic Director, at the end of each academic year.

Ongoing teacher developmentJusoor believes that ongoing self-development for teachers helps them improve their teaching skills and reflect on their teaching methods, as well as provides them with support and advice in a non-judgmental way. All teachers are observed in their classroom several times during the year either by the Principal or the Academic Director. After these observations, the teacher and his/her observer meet to discuss how the lesson went and possible areas of improvement, if any. The Psychological Counselor can also assist with this, to give teachers ideas and strategies to cope with challenging students.

Jusoor also encourages teachers to observe each other and learn from others’ methods. This, plus the familiarity of all teachers with the personalities of all the students, has helped create a sense of shared problem-solving amongst the academic staff. Occasionally, teachers have the opportunity to observe classes in other Jusoor educational centers to share ideas on different approaches.

The Psychological Counselor might also suggest that the teacher films her/his own interaction with students. They can then review this to reflect on how they either reinforced or discouraged positive behavior, for example.

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Classroom support for teachersIt is challenging for a single teacher to manage a classroom of 25 children who have been out of school for some time, or have experienced disruption and trauma in their lives. Jusoor recommends having a Teaching Assistant in every classroom, to help the teacher keep order, lead group activities, or work individually with children. Teaching Assistants do not need prior qualifications or experience, though these would be highly desirable- again, they should be recruited based on their personality, commitment, and willingness to learn. Many Teaching Assistants go on to become teachers, so it is a good work experience for a motivated young person.

As mentioned above, each school should also have a Remedial Teacher, to take students out of the classroom for extra one-on-one help, either with school work or behavior issues. Remedial teachers should have some prior teaching experience, and can be hired on a part-time basis.

It is recognized that limited funding is a significant issue in the context of emergency education, which may not allow for recruiting a Teaching Assistant for each class or a Remedial Teacher per school. An alternative solution would be to hire one additional full-time teacher at each school, who can assist in any class as needed, work as a Remedial Teacher, and even substitute for an absent teacher. At times, an extra class is created in the middle of a school term as new students arrive unexpectedly and the additional teacher could take this class on until a permanent teacher is hired. Although it is expensive, this extra capacity is essential to avoid a crisis in the middle of term.

Teacher retentionJusoor recognizes that many of its teachers are hoping to find jobs in their specialization or to emigrate, and indeed every summer several teachers hand in their notice, saying that they have an opportunity to go abroad. After working in Jusoor educational centers, teachers gain personalized training in emergency teaching methods, learn to work cooperatively with a wide variety of people, and improve their English, among other skills that make them more attractive to employers, and increase their opportunities for study internationally. If the teachers leave Jusoor they can be proud of having been a part of the Jusoor family, and will be excellent ambassadors for the Jusoor model of refugee education.

Jusoor is pleased to know that these talented young people have the chance to make new lives for themselves, but if it is part-way through the school year, their departure breaks up the continuity that the students need as they progress academically and socially, and disrupts the team that the Principal has built so carefully from the beginning of the year. Unless there is already a ‘spare’ teacher on staff, this gap means that another new teacher must be recruited and summarily trained, managed, and coached individually through the rest of the year, and yet, she or he may not stay for the next one.

The Academic Director and the Principals try very hard to encourage the teachers’ commitment, by making them feel included, valued, and respected, and giving them opportunities to be creative, show leadership, and contribute to improving the quality of Jusoor’s educational centers. However, it is recognized that the work is demanding, the hours long, and the salaries relatively low; teacher turnover is one of the biggest challenges that Jusoor faces.

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VI - Student enrolment, registration, and attritionEnrolmentParents hear about Jusoor educational centers through word of mouth, site visits by the Start-Up Committee, Academic Director, or Principal, teachers, community member supporters and ‘champions’, advertisements posted on walls in the neighborhood, announcements made in the local mosque or church, and from Lebanese public schools that have reached their enrolment capacity, by way of referral. During the summer, the Principal and other staff make many visits to the community and hold public information sessions. During these sessions, the staff talk about the educational center and its aims and values, and invites parents to register their children (aged 5 to 14) if there are no places for them in the nearest public school.

Registration and placement The parents need to provide as much information as they can about the child- age, general health, previous schooling, any family issues (for example, if the student must work), etc., but they are not required to produce any documents (which many of them do not have anyway). The Student Path, including the registration form, is in Appendix 6. Once students are registered, they attend a placement test at the center if they are over six years old. Children aged 5 to 6 are automatically enrolled in KG.

Registration is closed as soon as the maximum class size of 25 has been reached for both shifts of each class. The larger centers have more than one class of the same level per shift. The Principal usually keeps a waiting list of about a dozen students to take the place of any drop-outs. However, Jusoor does not like to turn any refugee children away, as it means that they will miss another year of schooling, so even if a child arrives in the middle of term, Jusoor will make every effort to accommodate them.

Based on the results of the placement test, students are usually grouped according to their level of knowledge and previous schooling, but Jusoor has found that older students whose assessment results are low are easily demotivated if put with younger children, so they are given accelerated learning time with the Remedial Teacher before joining a classroom with older students. There is a certain amount of reshuffling needed at the beginning of each academic year as teachers discover that the capabilities of their students may exceed or be lower than the results of their initial placement test.

AttritionUnfortunately, there are inevitably a few drop-outs each year. Most of these happen for economic reasons- the children are pulled out of school to work. Some students leave when their families move to a new location or country and some girls leave to get married. Many students, particularly but not limited to older boys, miss weeks of school during the season of the potato harvest, when whole families are hired to pick in the fields. The teachers now know about this period of decreased attendance and whenever possible, re-arrange their lesson plans to enable the students to catch up when they return to the school. Otherwise, the potato pickers will attend several sessions of remedial help to make up for the classes they have missed.

If any student does not attend for a few days, either the Principal or Vice Principal will visit the student’s home or call the parents by phone to enquire about the reason. All efforts are made to convince the parents, as needed, of the importance of their children’s education, and for them to encourage their children to stay and succeed in school.

Students with special needsJusoor educational centers will accept any Syrian refugee child, regardless of any physical or mental challenges they may have. Jusoor works with a local NGO called Consultancy and Advocacy for Remedial Education (CARE), which specializes in working with children with learning difficulties. CARE advisors work with class teachers and the Remedial Teacher to devise modified lesson plans to cater for any learning challenges that a child might have. At present, not all centers or classrooms can accommodate children with physical disabilities but Jusoor is prepared to modify the premises when necessary or dedicate additional human resources to help increase access if that could be beneficial.

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VII - Scheduling and the curriculumSchool ScheduleThe age group and circumstances of students should be taken into consideration when designing the schedule. Like Lebanese public schools, Jusoor educational centers run two four-hour shifts (morning and afternoon) for several reasons:

• To accommodate as many Syrian refugee children as possible, while providing as good an education as possible.• To give working students a chance to attend classes (e.g. some students work in the morning so they can attend the afternoon shift).• To accommodate KG students in the morning shift so that they do not have to come to classes in the afternoon, which is tiring for 5 year

olds.• To accommodate students who are living far away from the center in the afternoon shift so they have time to arrive at school.

Jusoor recognizes that four hours per day is not nearly sufficient to teach a fully rounded and comprehensive curriculum, and teachers must focus on key literacy and numeracy skills for students to join their age cohort in public schools and to provide children with an essential basic education. It is unfortunate that there is not time in each shift to include more visual art, sport, drama, and music in the schedule but teachers try to use a variety of these activities as they teach the core subjects.

Each shift is divided into four periods a day. Each period is 45 minutes long with a break of 5 minutes between periods, and there is a 20-minute recess after the second period. The students usually play outside during their recess, and can have a snack4, while the teachers take turns to supervise. During the month of Ramadan, the school days are shorter (from 9 – 12 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m.) and students have three periods a day instead of four.

Division of the academic yearAn Academic Calendar is published at the beginning of each school year to guide teachers, parents, and students on the division of the year into school terms, including school holidays, exams, parents’ meetings, and in-service trainings for teachers. As far as possible, there is an equal number of teaching days in each term.

There are three terms – Autumn (mid-September to December), Spring (January to March) and Summer (April to June) with approximately 62 teaching days in each. Jusoor educational centers start a little later than the national public schools to make sure that any student who can enroll in a public school does so. Jusoor will then accept students who are able to enter public schools but did not do so either because there was no space available for them or the parents could not afford transportation costs. Only recently has Jusoor added a transportation program for children to public school, when lack of transportation is the barrier preventing them from accessing education. At set points during the term, the students have a quiz or short test, the results of which are combined with the results of the year-end exam to give the final grade for that year.

The curriculum Recognizing that most refugees spend significant periods of time in the countries they move to (whether in transit, or on a permanent basis), it is recommended that refugee children are taught in the language used in the public school system in the host country, to make it easier for the students to transfer into mainstream schools later. It also helps the children to adapt and integrate into the host society, even in a country like Lebanon, where the culture is in many ways is very similar to that of Syria.

4 Jusoor would like to provide healthy snacks, and a hot drink in the winter, for the students, when funding allows. Good nutrition is always a concern, and school meals have been proven to significantly boost a child’s ability to learn.5 Although refugee situations vary widely around the world, UNICEF, UNHCR and INEE all recommend that refugee schooling is in the language of the host country if it is likelythat the displacement is of long duration.

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Jusoor does not intend to establish an alternative or replacement to the public school system, but to provide a remedial and transitional education to refugee children who have been out of school for several years, or younger children for whom there are no spaces in the Lebanese public school system yet. For this reason, Jusoor has chosen to use the Lebanese curriculum with many modifications, rather than the Syrian curriculum, which the teachers, parents, and many students will be familiar with. Jusoor educational centers are designed as a bridge for the refugee children between their own culture and background, and their new lives and surroundings. If/when the students return to school in Syria, they will have benefited from acquiring English as well as progressing in core subjects.

The subjects taught at Jusoor’s educational centers are in line with the Lebanese Ministry of Education recommended curriculum and agreed by the Start-Up Committee in the planning stage of the program. The students are expected to reach the standard achievement level for their age in each subject before they can be recommended for joining a Lebanese public school. Unlike Syria, where all subjects are taught in Arabic, the language of instruction in Lebanese public schools are English or French, so Jusoor educational centers emphasize the learning of English for its students.

Levels taughtBecause the refugee students’ education has been interrupted for some time, and the younger ones have not had the chance to go to (pre-)school, Jusoor has adopted the knowledge level criteria rather than the age criteria for placing students in classes. As mentioned above, an exception is made for older students whose educational abilities are significantly behind their age cohort. These get remedial help to bring them up to the level of their peers. All students are given a placement test when they register, the results of which are used by the Principal and teachers to decide which class the student should join.

Jusoor educational centers offer four levels of instruction: Beginner/ Kindergarten, and Level 1, 2, and 3. Beginner/ Kindergarten level includes 5 and 6-year-olds, and children who are older than six but have never been to school. If children in Level 1, 2, and 3 do well enough in all subjects in the year-end assessment, then they are recommended for transfer to a Lebanese public school. Most students transfer after spending two years at a Jusoor center but some are ready earlier.

Subjects taughtThe main subjects are Arabic and English Languages, Mathematics, and Science, with the addition of Circle Time and Identity Building components, as well as weekly Art and Sport sessions. See Appendix 7 for a sample Scope and Sequence of subjects. In many cases students will be at different levels for different subjects, for example, the Beginner Level in English, but Level 1 in Mathematics.

Arabic Language: Jusoor believes that it is very important for children to study their native language, as this will also help them learn a second language more easily. Jusoor educational centers use the Lebanese curriculum for Arabic, starting with KG3, based on a series of students’ books and workbooks (available from the government printing house). This starts with hands-on activities to improve the children’s fine motor skills and help them start to make letter shapes. By Level 1, the students are starting to write letters and recognize their various shapes and where the letters are found in the word.

The curriculum quickly progresses from simple words to simple stories. Grammar is introduced from Level 1 (synonyms and antonyms, comparisons, singular and plural, masculine and feminine forms, etc.).

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By Level 3, even those students who have missed several years of schooling before coming to Jusoor are at the expected level in Arabic. At Level 3, Arabic lessons also incorporate topics science and math topics, which helps reinforces the students’ understanding across subject areas.

English Language: Learning English, which is essential for mainstream Lebanese schools, is the biggest obstacle for Syrian children. The Lebanese national curriculum for English is unsuitable for two main reasons: It is not modified for use by children who have had no previous exposure to English, and the KG level books are inappropriate for beginners who are 8 or 10 years-old. Jusoor therefore has developed its own program for the teaching of English. Currently, an English Language teaching program more suitable for beginners is being used by Jusoor. It is called the Pelicino Language Kit, developed by a Dutch NGO, and is based on the Total Physical Response method of teaching language. It too required some adaptation by the teachers as not all modules were relevant for the students. After the Beginner stage, the classes progress as follows:

• Stage 1: Sounds and letters of the English alphabet, using games, puzzles, repetition, and spelling.• Stage 2: Phonics and sound blends with basic reading. The curriculum for this level has been adapted for Jusoor by students

from the Teachers College of Columbia University.• Stage 3: More advanced reading and writing.• Stage 4: Starting to use the Lebanese national textbooks (Grade 1).

The duration of each stage varies in accordance to the ability of the student, and it might take anywhere between three to six months to complete a stage.

Mathematics: Jusoor follows the Lebanese mathematics curriculum for Levels 1 to 3, using the national textbook provided to Jusoor educational centers by the Ministry of Education. These are often delivered late, as the Ministry must ensure an adequate supply to the public schools first, but to date there has always been enough. The lesson from the text is usually integrated rather than taught on its own. The instructions are given by the teachers in Arabic, so it is easier for students to grasp the mathematical concept, but the main math terms such as ‘Add’, ‘Subtract’, etc. are taught in English.

Science: At the Beginner level, science is integrated into the lessons. Topics such as the body, living and non-living things, and simple classification of animals are covered. For Level 1, a special curriculum is used that was adapted for Jusoor educational centers by students at the Teachers’ College of Columbia University. This focuses on the same topics in greater detail, for example, looking at the needs and requirements of living things, identification of characteristics and parts, life cycles, environment, movement, and states of matter. English terminology is used from Level 1, but the descriptions and explanation are in Arabic, thus ensuring comprehension of basic facts before reaching Levels 2 and 3, which use the national Lebanese textbook and are taught completely in English.

Art: In many cases Art is incorporated into various lessons; for example, teaching about a color and then painting in that color in an English class. Additionally, at least once a week there is a regular Art lesson in each class.

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Sport: A weekly Sport class is scheduled for each grade, during which hand-eye coordination, energetic movement, and group games are taught. It is essential that the children also have a chance to move around from time to time in class, so physical activity may be incorporated into a lesson; for example, standing in a circle for a counting game.

Circle Time: Jusoor educational centers also offer two specialized weekly classes, designed by Jusoor, to help the children better understand themselves and their world. The first of these is Circle Time, a 10 to 15-minute session per day, as part of the Jusoor Safe Schools program, a type of Peace Education. Circle Time facilitates getting to know each other better, asking for contributions from every student or at least most of them, practicing listening skills, sharing openly and connecting to their feelings, reaching agreements on how to treat each other, establishing a safe space among students, addressing an issue that happened the previous day in class and setting the tone for the day. Circle Time helps the younger ones release their energies, and for the older students, it provides a positive and empathetic start to their day.

Teachers have found that this activity helps students deal better with whatever is bothering them, talk about their feelings of resentment, envy, or sadness, and helps the group bond as a class. Having Circle Time first thing in the morning helps focus the students on being in class together, and to share with one another what each thinks and feels. A talking piece – a special object like a colorful stone – can be used to give students space to express themselves or to manage the discussion.

Identity Building: The other non-academic class is called Identity Building. This is a program that Jusoor created to inform students about where they came from and assist them in exploring who they are. The goal of this program is for the children to develop confidence in themselves as Syrians, and gain an understanding of and pride in their home country and culture. The lessons include the geography of Syria, the historic sites and the stories associated with them, the county’s ethnic diversity, and music and other cultural aspects of their homeland. Classes do not include discussions about religion, politics, or the war, though understandably sometimes the children want to talk about these topics.

Remedial classesIn any class, if a teacher notices that a student is struggling to keep up with the rest of the class, or if a student (or students) has been absent for more than a week, the Remedial Teacher will be asked to work intensively with this student to bring him/her up to where they should be in that subject. The Remedial Teacher uses the same materials as the classroom teacher, as well as additional resources to emphasize the skills and knowledge the student needs.

Some students are also periodically absent in order to work. The potato harvest season, for instance, is the main cause of temporary absences at one of Jusoor’s three schools. The Remedial Teacher is always booked to work with these students on their return, a support that has enabled them to make up for lost time and continue in school. Many students need only a few hours of remedial help with a particular topic, others take much longer and are also encouraged to attend the weekend Homework Club to catch up on the work they have missed. During her one-to-one time with the students, the Remedial Teacher may notice issues with the student that the classroom teacher was not aware of, such as problems at home or bullying, and can refer the student to the Psychological Counselor. This creates a kind of a safety net for students who are struggling in class, without putting all the stress of dealing with that student on the classroom teacher.

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VIII - Extra-curricular and non-academic componentsPsychosocial supportThe emotional and psychosocial wellbeing of a child affects his/her academic achievement. Many refugee children have experienced traumatic events, which often manifests as misbehavior, withdrawal, temper tantrums, and violence towards others. It is important that these children are treated sensitively, so Jusoor has appointed a full-time Psychological Counselor to cover the three educational centers.

The Counselor holds one-on-one and group sessions with students, parents, and teachers. These sessions are based on the International Child Development Program (ICDP), a program designed to strengthen interactions between children and their caregivers6. The Counselor runs workshops for the teachers, and advises them on an ad-hoc basis when there is a problem in class. The parents are encouraged to get involved with helping their children adjust to being in school, especially if the child is traumatized, in which case the parents, particularly the mother, can be given some advice and tips on how to talk sensitively to the child about their experiences. The Psychological Counselor also recommends interesting lessons and active games to help the children deal with their anxieties and release pent-up energy that may otherwise transform into aggression.

Health and HygieneAt present, there are two INGOs (ACTED and Intersos) that collaborate with Jusoor by running students’ workshops on Health and Hygiene. They teach students about basic health issues and hygiene, and provide hygiene kits containing soap, shampoo, towels, toothbrushes, and toothpaste to each student. Recognizing the importance of this topic for the students in an emergency education context, Jusoor plans to develop its own health, hygiene, and nutrition guidelines to incorporate into the Science curriculum.

Homework clubThis program started as a voluntary drop-in center on both Saturday and Sunday mornings, and during the school holidays for former Jusoor students and other students needing help with their homework. Students are tutored by volunteers or teachers from the educational centers, on a one-on-one basis in English and Arabic Languages, Mathematics, and Science. At present, the Homework Club is most active at the school where transportation is provided. This program helps track the performance of Jusoor students after they move to public school and supports their subsequent success, though the participant group is not particularly representative of the graduating students overall.

Awareness-raising sessionsFrom time to time throughout the school year, awareness-raising sessions are held, either for specific classes or for the whole school. These are run free of charge by other NGOs working in Lebanon such as Kafa, Intersos, Right to Play, and ACTED. The topics presented include Personal Health and Hygiene, Road Safety, Children’s Rights, Good Nutrition, Nature Studies, etc. See the section on NGOs below for more information.

Summer Volunteer ProgramJusoor has three school terms. A fourth less- academically focused term, run for three weeks each summer, is optional for the students. This is the summer volunteer program, which gives volunteers from all over the world the opportunity to come to Lebanon and help with activities organized for Jusoor students (see application form in Appendix 8). It usually starts a week after final exams, and is designed to be as hands-on as possible. Volunteers apply online and are accepted based on specific criteria. They cover their own costs for the three-week period, though Jusoor arranges the room and board, plus transportation.

6 For more information on ICDP see http://www.icdp.info/programme

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The volunteers undergo a rigorous 3-day Induction Training at the beginning. They then participate in planning and teaching lively and fun classes such as arts and crafts, sports, science experiments, and English to the students. These classes are not evaluated and do not count towards the students’ academic attainment, but have proven to be effective at helping students retain their knowledge and practice their English over the long summer holiday. They also expose the students to different methods of learning and widens their worldview, as they are able to interact with the diverse international and local volunteers.

Jusoor regularly receives very positive feedback from both the students and volunteers on the program. Volunteers who have been part of this program often become involved in other Jusoor programs, especially if they are university students, thereby expanding Jusoor’s international network of people supporting Syrians to continue their education.

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IX - Student evaluation and advancementStudent trackingAll Jusoor students are monitored academically, socially, and emotionally throughout the year. Assessment methods include quizzes, the final exam, and the teacher’s judgement about how the student has met the learning objectives of each topic. These evaluations help teachers see whether the student has the right level of intellectual stimulation, how well he/she gets along with other students, where more support, either remedial or psychosocial, might be helpful, and whether the Jusoor environment is having a positive impact.

There are usually one or two assessment tests per term, and one at the end of each academic year. If the teacher notices during class that a student is struggling to understand or to keep up with the rest of their peers, the teacher, the Principal, and the Remedial Teacher and/or Psychological Counselor will design an Individual Learning Plan for that student, which may involve modification of the lesson plan, one-to-one remedial help in a subject, or a period spent outside class for psychosocial support.

At the end of the year, each student is evaluated by his/her teacher, the Principal, and the Academic Director. The evaluation focuses on the children’s emotional maturity, psychosocial wellbeing, and academic progress. Accordingly, the student either stays with Jusoor for one more year or is sent to a formal school if there is space for them, and possibly to a private school. KG students usually stay with Jusoor for Level 1.

Student transfers into mainstream formal educationDuring September, and as Lebanese schools are preparing for the intake of the new academic year, the Academic Director, the Principals, and Vice Principals are busy visiting Lebanese public and private schools near the locations of Jusoor educational centers and/or the children’s homes to investigate the possibilities of Jusoor students being accepted in the second shift.

The first option for Jusoor students would be to enter the nearest mainstream public schools. However, many Lebanese public schools are already struggling to provide a good quality education for their own students. Classes are over-crowded, and teachers overworked, underpaid, and often stressed. There simply may not be enough seats for more students in the appropriate class.

Jusoor aims to track former students for a year or two after they transfer into mainstream schools, if there is sufficient capacity to do this. Such tracking helps Jusoor evaluate its impact on the student and indicates where there might be any weaknesses in the Jusoor program. It also helps former students with academic difficulties by providing support through the weekend homework club. Many former students report struggling to fit into Lebanese public schools so this extra support might make the difference between them persevering with their education or dropping-out. Many will stay in touch with Jusoor and visit their old center from time to time, which strengthens the sense of a family environment.

Level 3 graduatesNot all Jusoor students will be able to enter mainstream formal education after Level 3. Some may be too old to join the appropriate class, may not have reached the required academic level, or will be expected by their parents to work to provide for the family. Parents may prefer that their adolescent daughters remain at home. Where possible, Jusoor will refer these students to a local organization that offers courses or training for adolescent refugees.

Additionally, whilst public education in Lebanon is nominally free, the associated costs to parents can be a barrier to education for poorer refugee families. The most significant of these is transportation for those who cannot walk to school. In many areas of Lebanon, there is a transportation cartel that sets the price for school transport based on rates paid by international development organizations such as UNICEF. Other associated costs include school supplies and clothing.

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X - Capitalizing on partnershipsWhen Jusoor is approached with a partnership opportunity, a written proposal is requested or drafted together with the proposed partner, stating the purpose, objectives, time-frame, resources contributed, persons involved, etc. (See Appendix 9 for a sample agreement). Jusoor is careful to ensure that all partnerships fulfill Jusoor’s objectives first and foremost, and that neither the students nor staff are exploited for experimental or speculative reasons.

To date, Jusoor educational centers have had some extremely interesting and beneficial partnerships, but Jusoor has also given a lot of time to researchers and questionnaires that have not produced much impact compared to the time invested in making them happen. Consequently, Jusoor has become more selective over the years of running the program in selecting partners and projects to collaborate with or on.

NGOs Jusoor encourages strong partnerships with both local and international NGOs to share expertise and resources, and has benefitted greatly from working with a wide variety of NGOs. In the context of its refugee education program for children in Lebanon, some of these partnerships offer training for Jusoor staff. Others run awareness-raising sessions for the students or provide resources, clothing and equipment, outings, and entertainment for them. Some help with specific projects while others run activities throughout the year. Jusoor’s partners in relation to its refugee education program in Lebanon include:

• SAWA for Development and Aid, an NGO that covers the rent and maintenance of one of Jusoor’s schools.• CARE (Consultancy and Advocacy for Remedial Education), a local NGO that helps students with learning difficulties.• ACTED (Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development), a French NGO that conducts hygiene education sessions twice a year

for the students and provides them with toiletries and cleaning supplies.• INTERSOS, an Italian NGO providing hygiene education sessions to the parents and life skills sessions to the older students.• ANERA, an NGO that runs literacy classes, vocational sessions, and life skill sessions for adults.• Right to Play, a Canadian NGO that provides training on activity-based learning and teaching sport.• Khalsa Aid, a UK-based NGO that provides resources and learning materials to the educational centers.• ALWAN and KAFA, two local NGOs that run psychosocial support sessions.

Educational institutionsOver the past three years there have been several graduate students researching refugees and refugee education, who have done their fieldwork at Jusoor educational centers. While a few of these collaborations have been mutually beneficial, sharing the latest thinking on Education in Emergencies with Jusoor staff and raising awareness outside Lebanon of the challenges facing refugees in the region, the majority have not been deemed useful, and Jusoor is more circumspect about having researchers in its schools and classrooms. Other considerations are related to child protection, safety and ethical questions, and Jusoor staff’s capacity to accompany or monitor every researcher. There have been recent successful academic partnerships, however;

• Students from the Teachers’ College of Columbia University designed special curricula for Science and English for Jusoor’s Level 1 students.

• Students from Stanford University’s International Policy Studies Program designed an evaluation model for Jusoor’s educational program.

• Students from Harvard University gave workshops on teaching English as a second language.• Students from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Columbia University helped with the design of Jusoor’s Peace Building

curriculum.

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Corporate partnershipsSome commercial companies approach Jusoor with proposals for partnerships, usually involving sponsorships or donations. Jusoor encourages Corporate Social Responsibility, but as above, needs to take several issues into consideration, so not all corporate partnership proposals can be accommodated. Jusoor must also ensure its political independence so chooses its partners carefully. Jusoor is grateful to companies like the UAE-based Chalhoub Group, which underwrites all expenses for one of Jusoor’s educational centers, and Deloitte Lebanon, which donated used laptops to one of the centers.

The mediaAs a policy, Jusoor does not have any political or religious affiliations, which applies to the Syrian as well as the Lebanese political contexts. This conscious decision is not the easiest to implement at times, but has paid off over the years in terms of garnering Jusoor’s target and host communities’ trust and building the organization’s reputation.

Jusoor does not have partnerships with any media platforms but is very open and welcoming to media inquiries. Several articles about Jusoor, either named or not identified but clearly recognizable, have appeared in international and local publications. Jusoor reserves the right to be informed of anything written about its work in Lebanon intended for publication, and to edit any article before publication. Consent by families for their children’s photographs, quotations, or other representations to be published is requested when children are being registered at the education centers.

VolunteersJusoor is a strong believer in community involvement, and volunteers are encouraged to get involved wherever possible, provided there is capacity to manage them. Assisting with sports or English language teaching are popular projects for Lebanese university students who are expected to do at least one term’s Community Service placement with a community-based organization.

Many foreign volunteers find out about Jusoor from its website or social media channels, or by word of mouth, and apply to come at their own expense to assist in the educational centers or join the Summer Volunteer Program. When the volunteer program is structured or there is a volunteer ‘vacancy’, the volunteer is required to fill in an application form so Jusoor can see what the he/she is able to contribute, and is also asked to sign a volunteer agreement (see Appendix 10). A Volunteer Package for the Summer Volunteer Program with information about Jusoor, Lebanon, volunteering activities, cultural tips, food, health and safety, etc. is currently being compiled, which will help volunteers maximize their time with Jusoor.

At the end of their volunteering period in a structured program, like the Summer Volunteer Program, the volunteers are asked to evaluate their experience, so Jusoor can see how they can be supported more effectively and get more out of their experiences. Former volunteers have been some of the best ambassadors and fundraisers for Jusoor. Volunteers have also offered their time, skills, and resources in a variety of personal one-off activities- for example, Yoga sessions, peer teacher training, donations of books, and administrative support.

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XI - Program evaluationInternal audits for program qualityIt is important for Jusoor as an organization working in Emergency Education that the effectiveness and impact of the refugee education program in Lebanon are evaluated on a regular basis. Since the Lebanese Ministry of Education does not get involved in monitoring or visiting non-formal learning centers, it is the responsibility of the organization to prove to its Board of Directors and donors that its resources are spent appropriately and productively, and that the students are receiving an education that is not merely adequate, but of high enough quality that they will be able to integrate smoothly into formal education, the first step back into mainstream society and hopefully a better future.

In collaboration with the Jusoor Leadership Team, the Academic Director and the Principals of the three centers have drawn up an internal audit report that they fill in twice a year- in the middle of the school year and at the end. This includes a range of quality indicators and recommendations for improvement or change, which will be acted upon in the new school year. An example of an acted-upon recommendation was the recent schedule change in one of the centers to move Friday classes to Saturdays, in line with the schedule of local public schools in that area.

Jusoor seeks feedback from donors and supporters who have visited the educational centers, attended conferences, and workshops, or have experience in education in emergencies settings. Regular meetings between the program’s leadership team (the Program and Academic Directors and Finance and Operations Coordinator), and Jusoor’s Director, helps the group to continually assess the impact, cost-effectiveness, and quality of the program.

Recently, Jusoor has partnered with the International Policy Studies Program at Stanford University to design an evaluation model specifically for Jusoor’s program in Lebanon. The developed model is published on Jusoor’s website as an open source document, like this manual.

Engaging teachersAll teachers at Jusoor are expected and encouraged to take an active interest in the running of the educational centers, the progress of all the students, the creation of an enabling environment, and the continual improvement of the quality of the program. Their self-evaluation, coupled with the evaluation of their performance by the Principal, contributes to program quality. The Academic Director seeks suggestions and ideas from the teachers on any aspect of the school where improvements could be made. Former Jusoor teachers, especially if they have gone on to teach elsewhere, are also encouraged to stay in touch.

Engaging parentsAs is the case everywhere in the world, some parents take an active interest in their children’s schooling and want to be involved as much as possible in decision and policy-making, while others attend the parent-teacher meetings at the start of the school year but do not otherwise get involved. The Principal of each Jusoor educational center tries to inform and engage both types of parents in improving the school program by sending out notices and questionnaires, inviting them to meetings, and staying abreast of local developments and issues in the neighborhood. As well as contributing to program quality, this lets the parents know that their input is valued and needed for the center to continue functioning, and ensures that the center is a trusted component of the local community.

Jusoor has also run successful workshops for parents and caregivers during the school year. These were led by the Academic Director and the Psychological Counselor, and were a good way to share information, receive feedback from the parents, and strengthen relationships with the community. The topics included healthy diets, personal hygiene, positive behavior reinforcement techniques, and child rights and child protection.

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AppendicesAppendix 1: Directors’ job descriptionsProgram Director job description: The Program Director oversees, manages, and coordinates all aspects of the program, from needs assessment, planning, strategy, and expansion, to implementation, evaluation, and communication. Specifically, the Program Director is responsible for the following:

A) Needs assessment, planning, and strategy-development• Planning the delivery of the overall program and its activities in accordance with the mission and goals of Jusoor• Carrying out needs-assessment exercises, develop new initiatives, and advise on strategy in Lebanon towards achieving the

organization’s mission• Identifying and evaluating the risks associated with program activities and advising on appropriate steps to mitigate them• Developing an annual budget and operating plan to support the program• Developing a program evaluation framework to assess the strengths of the program and to identify areas for improvement• Developing funding and project proposals for the program• Developing policies and procedures for the organization’s work in Lebanon• Maintaining and investing in partnerships with other organizations in Lebanon towards achievement of the organization’s mission• Carrying out all the needs assessment and planning activities in consultation with the Academic Director of the Refugee Education

Program

B) Implementation• Ensuring ongoing programmatic excellence and quality of finance and administration• Ensuring that program activities are delivered on time and within budget, and operating within the policies and procedures of the

organization• Monitoring and approving all budgeted program expenditures in collaboration with the Operation and Finance Coordinator in Lebanon• Developing records to document program activities and overseeing the collection and maintenance of such records• Engaging volunteers for appropriate program activities• Supervising program volunteers by providing direction and feedback• Communicating with beneficiaries and other stakeholders to gain community support for the program and to solicit input to improve it• In coordination with the Academic Director, participating in the recruitment, interviewing, and selection of well-qualified academic staff• Leading the recruitment and selection of administrative staff for the Lebanon Program

C) Reporting and evaluation• Writing reports on the program for management and for funders• Following up regularly with key foundations and corporations that already support the program, and also communicating with donors

as outlined in funding agreements• Ensuring financial reports and supporting documentation for funders are prepared as outlined in funding agreements• Monitoring the program activities on a regular basis and conducting an annual evaluation• Reporting evaluation findings to the organization’s Director and including recommendations for improvement

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D) Communications• Deepening and refining all aspects of and ensuring excellence in communications about the program• Ensuring all information on the program on the organization’s website, other public communication methods, and reports is up to date• Developing content about the program for different publications, including narrative and visual content and infographics• Actively sharing information for different communication platforms, including social media

As a senior member of the staff, the Program Director may be delegated other administrative tasks from time to time by Jusoor’s Director.

Academic Director job description: The Academic Director reports to Jusoor’s Director and is a member of the Management Team of the Lebanon Program, a group that meets regularly to coordinate the management of the Program, and which is composed of the Lebanon Program Director, the Academic Director, and the Operations and Finance Coordinator. The Academic Director has overall responsibility for the quality of the academic program and especially the following:

A) Academic Planning • Developing clear academic goals for Jusoor’s program in Lebanon• Ensuring a balance between the academic and co-curricular activities• Developing, documenting, and refining the curriculum and educational model for Jusoor’s educational centers, to be revised on an

annual basis• Creating and managing the academic calendar• Developing school policies• Leading allocations of academic staff and of rooms• Participating in the planning of the budget for the Lebanon Program• Researching and collecting data regarding the needs of students• Advise on strategy in Lebanon in line with Jusoor’s mission• Involving the academic staff in the planning process, possibly through an academic committee composed of coordinators for each

subject, and a principals’ committee, and consulting with the Program Director and Management Team • Participating in the development of fundraising and grant proposals as needed

B) Reporting• Reporting on a semesterly basis on students’ demographic and grade composition, academic performance, and attendance • Reporting on a semesterly basis on progress towards achieving program goals• Submitting a curricular and educational model plan on an annual basis, well ahead of each new academic year• Reporting on an annual basis how the budget has or has not met the academic program’s needs• Reporting on breaches in policy and matters that require immediate attention as needed• Participating in the creation of communication materials about the program.

C) Management of records• Ensuring effective systems are in place to record students’ basic and contact information, and track their academic performance and

attendance while at Jusoor’s centers • Overseeing the organization of students’ term and progress reports

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D) Staff recruitment, supervision, and development• Recruiting, supervising, and evaluating academic and psychological counseling staff. Hiring should happen in consultation with school

principals as needed, and in consultation with the Program Director • Monitoring of academic staff absences, tardiness, and breaches of policy, and keeping Program Director abreast of teacher contractual

problems• Ensuring systems are in place to allow for staff substitution in the event of unexpected absences• Monitoring teachers and principals by observing their classrooms and preparation books• Developing and implementing sound and explicit structures and processes of team-building, consultation, and decision-making• Cultivating leadership in others and fostering collaboration within and across Jusoor’s centers and programs in Lebanon• Coordinating and leading professional development for all teaching and academic staff, whether internal or in collaboration with

external organizations • Providing one-on-one guidance and instructional training as needed

E) Student affairs• Monitoring the students’ progress vis-a-vis the school curriculum• Advising on student promotion at the end of each academic year • Creating systems and aiding academic staff to support students with special educational needs and gifted students• Overseeing students’ disciplinary processes and collaborating with principles in following procedures with regard to student behavior • Overseeing the organization of exams• Overseeing the organization of parent-teacher meetings and distribution of student reports• Overseeing distribution of school circulars to parents

F) Other management responsibilities• Ensuring effective systems are in place to implement procedures and policies, identify shortcomings, and remedy them• Overseeing the preparation of books and supplemental resources• Ensuring student safety policies are implemented, including emergency evacuation drills• Ensuring all schools’ needs are communicated to the Operations and Finance Coordinator and Program Director

G) Collaboration with other organizations• Advising on collaboration with other organizations and with researchers on academic matters • Coordinating collaboration with other organizations and academic institutions in relation to academics and psychological support• Coordinating and leading professional development for partner academic programs or other beneficiary programs of Jusoor’s as

needed• Presenting Jusoor’s academic program to partner organizations and at conferences and coordinating such participation.

As a senior member of the staff, the Academic Director may be delegated other administrative tasks from time to time by Jusoor’s Director.

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Appendix 2: Initial and annual action planning

Goal: To set up a Remedial Education program for Syrian out of school children aged 5 to 14, to prepare them to enter Lebanese public schools.Implementation timeframe: Initial planning January. Centers to be open for registration mid- SeptemberSchool calendar: 3 terms of approximately 62 teaching days each.Educational center 1- Beirut: KG, Level 1, 2 and 3 - 25 students in each class, morning and afternoon shift = 400 studentStaffing: 7 class teachers, 1 English teacher, 7 teaching assistants (if budget allows), 1 principal

Sample action plan for initiating the educational center:

Task Date to be completed (in months) Person responsible Comments

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1 Form a Start-up Committee Program Director (PD)

Members, schedule and minutes of meetings, roles and Responsibilities

2 Conduct feasibility study PD + Academic Director (AD) Select neighborhoods, key people, notice of meetings, info sheets

3 Hold neighborhood meetings AD Venues? Chairperson? Draft report on results

4 Contact UNHCR, municipalities PD Head of Education section, UNICEF?

5 Site search PD+AD See List of Criteria (5 INEE recommendations), cost vs. location vs. facilities

6 Draft provisional budget PD HO input, local costing exercise

7 Draw up list of equipment AD Furniture, photocopier…

8 Sign rental contract Site repairs and renovations PD 10 or 12 months? Possible sub-let?

9 Contact MEHE for authorization PD Person responsible for refugee education, primary? Textbooks?

10 Advertise for staff AD Job descriptions, salary scales

11 Get/create textbooks AD MEHE?

12 Order furniture PD Classrooms, offices

13 Transportation contract PD Number of vehicles, route and schedule

14 Order supplies PD Time of delivery

15 Contact WFP for food vouchers? PD Are these available for unregistered schools?

16 Set up classrooms, office AD Each teacher does his/her own…

17 Hold teacher training AD Is one week enough for inexperienced teachers?

18 Recruit students PD+AD Information sessions in local community

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Sample annual action plan:

Task Date to be completed (in months) Person responsible Comments

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1 Confirm returning teachers

2 Advertise for new teachers

3 Advertise for students

4 Reconnect with other organizations

5 Hold neighborhood meetings

6 Register new students

7 Set dates of academic year

8 Secure textbooks

9 Interview new teachers

10 Minor repairs and renovations

11 Renegotiate transport contract

12 Teacher training

13 Prepare classrooms

14 Meeting with parents

15 Open Day 1

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Appendix 3: Staff organogram

Board of Directors

Deputy Principal Deputy Principal Deputy Principal

Executive Director

Teachers Teachers Administrative Assistant

Refugee Education Program Director

Custodian Custodian Teachers

Custodian

Academic DirectorFinance and

Operations DirectorSpecial programs staff

and volunteers

School PrincipalSchool Principal School Principal Psychological Counselor

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Appendix 4: Sample budget

1. Personnel

Principal Month 12 x 12x

Vice Principal Month 12

Teachers Person*Month 10*12

Cleaner/Janitor Month 12

Total Personnel $0 $0

2. Transportation for students

Bus 1 (2 shifts) Month 12 This should account forthe number of children going to school by footBus 2 (2 shifts) Month 12

Total Transportation $0 $0

3. Running Costs

Facility Rent Month 12

Electricity Month 12

Water Month 12

Internet Month 12

Heating Fuel Month 6

Maintenance Month 12

Textbooks, activity sheets, test papers, etc. Student 250

Teaching Aids/Materials Month 11

Stationery Month 11

Administrative costs (phone + transportation for management) Month 12

Taxes and fees Year 1

Website and software costs Year 1

Total Running Costs $0 $0

Budget Line Unit Number of Units Unit Value Total Notes

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4. Setup Costs

Renovation Year 1

Chairs, tables, bookshelves Classroom 9

Photocopy Machine Machine 1

Water Cooler/ kettle Cooler 2

Playground equipment Center 1

Desks, chairs, cabinets for management office Office 1

First aid kit, fire extinguisher Center 1

Total Setup Costs $0 $0

5. Management Costs

Program Director Month 12 0.25x

Based on the assumption that these individuals oversee four schools and this budget is for one school only

Academic Director Month 12 0.25x

Psychological Counselor Month 12 0.25x

Finance & Operations Coordinator Month 12 0.25x

External accounting and audit fees Year 1

External legal fees Year 1

Insurance Year 1

Total Management Costs $0 $0

6. Special Costs

In-service training for teachers Session 2

Whole-school trips Trip 3

Winter packages (coats and hats for students) Student 250

Total Special Costs $0 $0

Total $0

7. Overhead Expenses

Organization’s director, fundraising and support staff, designer, accountant, audit and legal counsel fees, website and software fees, etc.

0.07 Calculated as a percentage of total expenses

Total Budget $0 Includes overhead expenses

Budget Line Unit Number of Units Unit Value Total Notes

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Appendix 5: Teacher recruitmentTeacher recruitment process:

What to look for when hiring: • Syrian nationality preferred • Teacher qualification or experience• Social or voluntary work experience with children• Ability to commit to a full academic year• Willingness to attend pre- and in-service training workshops• Friendly personality, gender-sensitive, sympathetic• Motivation for teaching

What to observe during sample lesson: • Use of materials• Use of language (native language of student population preferred)• Originality and imagination• Perception of students’ comprehension, checking for comprehension• Ability to deal with different levels of skill/ ability• Sensitivity to the psychological needs of children• Tolerance towards diversity• Composure under pressure• Discipline strategies• Movement in the classroom• Level of participation of students• Openness to feedback/ criticism• Teamwork skills

Teacher job description: To be a successful teacher at a Jusoor Educational Center you need to have a passion to inspire young minds to learn, and a commitment to ensuring that every child achieves their potential.

As a Jusoor teacher, you will learn and practice how to develop lesson plans in line with curriculum objectives. You will also make learning interesting and fun by establishing a relationship with your students and by using your energy, creativity, and organizational skills to establish a safe and supportive classroom learning environment.

Advertising vacancy

Ongoing observation

Shortlisting applicants

Hiring or termination

Interviewing

3 months probation + observation

Giving sample lesson

Training or shadowing

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You will assess and record progress and prepare your students for end of year assessments and to transition into Lebanese schools. You will also link students’ knowledge to earlier learning and develop ways to encourage it further, challenging and inspiring them to deepen and expand their knowledge and personal development.

Tasks are broadly the same for teachers of Levels 1, 2, and 3, and include:• Teaching all areas of the primary curriculum; Math, Science, English, and Arabic• Taking responsibility for the progress of a class of primary-age students• Organizing the classroom and learning resources and creating materials to encourage a positive learning environment• Planning, preparing, and presenting lessons that cater for the needs of the whole ability range within the class• Motivating pupils with enthusiastic, imaginative presentation• Maintaining discipline• Preparing and grading work to facilitate positive student development• Meeting requirements for the assessment and recording of students’ development• Providing feedback to parents on a student’s progress at parents’ meetings • Working with colleagues to plan and coordinate work • Keeping up to date with changes and developments at Jusoor’s Educational Centers.

Working hours:Most teachers work long hours during term time, usually over 40 hours a week. They are in school before the school day starts, work both the morning and afternoon shift, and stay after the pupils have gone home. Grading and preparation are usually done at home. Teachers have up to 13 weeks’ holiday per year, but most do work on grading, planning, preparation and any classroom organization during this time. Parent meetings and extra-curricular activities will also take up extra hours.

What to expect as a Jusoor teacher:Class teachers are usually based in their own classrooms, although they may teach elsewhere in the school to cover for staff shortages or because of their specialist subject area. English teachers will move between classrooms in the school.

Qualifications: • Primary teaching qualification, or training or teaching experience. • Must have completed secondary school. Ideally will also have attended college or university.• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities• Good organizational and time-management skills• Energy, enthusiasm, stamina, patience, dedication, resilience, self-discipline• Initiative, leadership, and supervisory skills and team-working abilities• Imagination, creativity, and a sense of humor• Ability to commit to at least for an academic year• Additional skills in areas such as sports, arts, music, and/or IT preferred.

Note on required work experience:Ideally, you will have teaching experience. If this is not in a school but in a volunteer program, club or community organization, it is also useful. A post as a teaching assistant will also give you valuable experience. Before applying to Jusoor, you could get experience working with children in other ways like mentoring or tutoring, summer play schemes or summer camps, scouts, or religious day-schools. In-service teacher training is available at Jusoor’s schools and teachers are encouraged to attend all workshops and professional development opportunities. Training takes place in-house both pre- and in-service. Topics often covered in training include curriculum issues, target setting and assessment, working with students with special needs, classroom management, Circle Time themes, teaching different levels in one classroom, and conflict resolution.

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Appendix 6: Student path and registrationIllustration of students’ path from registration to graduation:

Items on registration form:• Name of the child• Father’s name• Level of education; occupation• Mother’s name• Level of education; occupation• Place of origin• Current residential address• Landmarks/ neighbor contact• Number of children in family• Position of student in family• Siblings in school• Birthdate; age of student to be enrolled• Years of previous schooling • Grade level achieved (passed successfully)• School certificates available?• Reason for dropping out• Health issues if any (e.g. Eyesight? Hearing?)• Does the student work? Mornings or evening? Seasonally?• How will the student get to school?• Notes; comments

Beginner

Registration

Level 1

Placement testFinal evaluation

(end of year)

Level 2

Assessment (end of term)

Literacy (8+) Public school

Tracking

1 extra year Up 1 level

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Appendix 7: Sample of scope and sequenceReading:

Goal: Students are able to read a variety of texts of increasing complexity, silently and aloud, and can understand/ describe/ retell the story line.

Beginner Level 1 Level 2 Level 3

Listen to stories, talk about what

is happening

Look at books with pictures, i

deograms/ emoticons, signs and

cartoons and tell the story

Read with fluency and

accuracy, understanding, and enjoyment,

building on what they already know

or have read

Develop interest in reading for

pleasure, follow stories and add

their own ideas to something they

have read

Look at books with pictures, listen

to and discuss the story

Listen and respond to stories,

start to read simple story lines

Read short stories on their own,

with others, and to the teacher

Read books on their own, with others,

and to the teacher, can try reading

unknown texts

Listen to and respond to stories,

predict what will happen next

Respond through shared reading, and

read simple signs, labels, etc.

Read a range of genres that

includes stories, jokes,

myths, advertisements, and other texts

Read a range of genres that

includes stories, poetry, plays, and

picture books, can read simple

magazine or news articles

Recognize likeness and difference

of objects and scenes

Recognize letters and words in

various types of print

Make predictions (what happened

next?), discus pictures in story using

acquired vocabulary

Make and write simple predictions,

discus action in story using

acquired vocabulary, re-tell the story

in their own words

Book awareness, care for books,

parts of a book

Recognize book terms: cover/ title

beginning/ end, page/line/word/ letter, know

what is an author and a publisher of a book

Recognize paragraphs and chapters,

re-tell and re-enact stories

Re-read favorite stories, act out

stories, make up different endings

Simple text- 3 letter wordsFollow text in the right order, page

by page, left to right, top to bottom

Fill in the blanks/gaps in the sentence

or text, understand the order of the

action/sequence of events

Make predictions after and during

reading text

Reading pictures that tell a storyAnswer simple questions about

storiesDescribe what is happening in the story

Answer questions about

stories, describe the action

and characters

Recognize letters, find words

on the page or in a story

Begin to recognize sight words/

high frequency words, and words

that always go together

Read and recognize common words

easily, discover meanings of new

words in context

Develop their reading comprehension

so that they will eventually read longer

and more difficult texts

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Appendix 8: Summer Volunteer Program application

General information: • First Name• Last Name• Gender

o Female o Male

• Date of Birth (Please note that you need to be over 18 to participate in the program)• Nationality (If you have a dual nationality, please indicate the one that you will use to travel to Lebanon. Please note the Lebanon has

special visa requirements for some countries?• Email Address• Country or Residence • Phone Number• Skype ID• How did you learn about the program for the first time?

o Facebook o Twitter o Web search o Friends or family o Flyer or poster o University o Jusoor’s website, Facebook page, or newsletter o Other

Background: • Briefly describe your educational and professional background• Briefly describe your volunteering experience• Please rate how comfortable you are with teaching the following topics (1 very uncomfortable - 10 very comfortable):

o English Skills o Arts and Crafts o Sports and Outdoor Activities o Science

Travel information: • Please indicate which of the following statements best describes you:

o I’m living in Lebanon o I’m planning to travel to Lebanon in the summer, irrespective of this program o I would travel to Lebanon specifically to join this program

• If you don’t live in Lebanon, have you been there before? o Yes o No

• Where, in Lebanon, will you be staying during the period of the summer program? o (Area, City) Leave empty if you don’t have plans yet

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• Will you need help finding accommodation?o Yeso No

o Not sure yet• Please check all the statements that apply:

o I can start on July 19th o I would be staying until August 15th o I speak Arabic fluently o I can understand Arabic well o I speak English fluently o I can understand English well

• Do you have any other information that you’d like to share with us?• Do you have any concerns that you’d like us to address?

o Please list your questions and concerns here

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Appendix 9: Partnership agreement sample

THIS PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT is made on [Date]BETWEEN:

1. JUSOOR, a 501c3 non-profit organization duly registered under the laws of the State of Michigan, USA, with E.I. Number 45-384224, maintaining its registered office at 900 Wilshire Dr., STE 202-45, Troy, MI 48084, USA (“Jusoor”); and

2. [INSERT FULL LEGAL NAME], a [ ] company organized and existing under the laws of the [ ], having [commercial registration] number [ ], with its registered offices at [ ] (“Partner”),

(each of Jusoor and the Partner shall be individually referred to as a “Party” and collectively referred to as the “Parties”).

BACKGROUND: A. Jusoor is a group of Syrian expatriates supporting the country’s development and helping Syrian youth realize their potential through

programs in the fields of education, career development, and global community engagement. B. Partner is [insert background on Partner].C. The Parties now wish to enter into this Agreement to [insert objective here].

IT IS AGREED: 1. Obligations of the parties1.1. [Include the role and obligation of each party here]1.2.

2. Duration and termination 2.1. This Agreement shall commence on the date of execution and shall continue until [date or event].2.2. Jusoor has the right to terminate or cancel the activities, or the Agreement at any time and without prior notice if it feels it is not in the

best interests of Jusoor.

3. Other terms and conditions3.1. Any change in the terms and conditions of this Agreement must have prior written approval from an authorized representative of each

of the Parties. 3.2. The Partners can use each other’s logos and information to promote the partnership with prior written agreement. 3.3. This Agreement is undertaken entirely at the risk of the Partner. Jusoor will not be held responsible (legally or financially) for any

accidents, loss or damages to people, belongings or equipment of the Partner.3.4. All costs and expenses arising from this Agreement, including any damage or loss costs, will be covered 100% by the Partner, unless

explicitly agreed in writing. 3.5. Any disputes arising between the Partner and Jusoor will be amicably resolved by the Parties.3.6. In the event a dispute is unable to be resolved by the Parties amicably, a Party shall be free to apply to the local courts of the Partner’s

home jurisdiction for relief. In such instance the local laws of the territory of the Partner shall apply.

4. Confidentiality 4.1. Each Party undertakes that it shall not at any time during this Agreement and for a period of two years after termination of this

Agreement, disclose to any person any confidential information concerning the business affairs of the other party.4.2. Each Party may disclose the other Party’s confidential information:

a) to those of its employees, officers, representatives or advisers who need to know such information for the purpose of carrying out the party’s obligations under this Agreement. Each Party shall ensure that its employees, officers, representatives or advisers to whom it discloses the other Party’s confidential information comply with this clause; and

b) as may be required by law, court order or any governmental or regulatory authority.4.3. No Party shall use any other Party’s confidential information for any purpose other than to perform its obligations under this Agreement.

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5. Main contacts during implementationJusoor: [Name, Title, email address]The Partner: [Name, Title, email address]

Signed for and on behalf of JUSOOR: Signature

Date Name (block capitals) Title

Signed for and on behalf of [INSERT FULL LEGAL NAME]: Signature

Date Name (block capitals) Title

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Appendix 10: Volunteer guidelines and agreement – Jusoor program in Lebanon

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Jusoor to help advance the education of Syria’s children and youth. This document provides information that shall guide your volunteer-engagement with us. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

1. About JusoorJusoor was founded in 2011 as a non-governmental organization whose mission is to bring together and engage the global Syrian expatriate community in efforts that will help Syria and its people realize their full potential. The organization currently has over 120,000 individuals in its network from over 40 countries. Programs have focused on education, and include a refugee education program for children in Lebanon, a global university scholarship program, and an entrepreneurship training program.

Jusoor is a non-political organization with strictly no ties to any political entity. Jusoor’s programs do not differentiate according to political views, ethnicity, religion or gender. 2. Responsibilities of volunteers Commitment and reliability: The school is not a drop-in center for volunteers. Volunteer should be present at the times previously committed to, and should inform the Principal in advance if they cannot come.

Attitude and behavior: The volunteer is expected to dress and behave appropriately while in school. For example, no shouting, swearing, bad language, etc., and no low-cut shirts or t-shirts that contain offensive language.

Breaks: Volunteers may or may not have the same break times as teachers. This depends on the initial agreement with the Principal.

Safety and child protection: Volunteers should be aware of the need to ensure the safety of the children at all times, and to prevent accidents or possible harm, for example, by not allowing the children to run out into the street. Volunteers must follow codes of conduct for Child Protection- for example, not use language or behavior towards children that is inappropriate, harassing, abusive, sexually provocative, intended to humiliate, or culturally inappropriate. They must never physically discipline a child, never single out a child for special attention, refrain from inappropriate physical contact, and report any observed or suspected incidents of violence or abuse against children to the Principal.

Protocol and confidentiality: Volunteers should seek permission from the teachers before photographing the children. They must also commit to not talking about individual children or staff members outside the school, and to keeping all information about the children confidential.

Respecting the school environment: The use of mobile phones in classrooms is not allowed. Smoking is not permitted on school grounds. Volunteers must observe all school rules and follow the instructions of staff.

3. Problems in class, discipline, and feedback and support mechanisms Volunteers are not expected to deal with matters of classroom discipline. They should follow the teacher’s lead in maintaining order in the classroom- for example, insisting that children raise their hand before speaking, and inform the teacher when a student is acting with impunity. The volunteer’s presence in the classroom can be very helpful- for example, by standing near a child who constantly talks. The volunteer should ask the teacher for feedback at the end of the lesson, and for suggestions or advice on how to improve their assistance, and should be prepared to offer feedback on activities or on different children’s abilities.

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4. The role of the volunteer in the classroom The volunteer, no matter what age or experience, is not a substitute or replacement teacher. Instead they are there to support and assist the teacher to achieve the learning objectives planned for the lesson. Their presence allows the class teacher to be better prepared for each activity, spend more time with each student, cater for the students who finish the activities quickly or need more help than others to practice the new knowledge, work in groups, or focus on remedial work. In some cases, the teacher may ask the volunteer to lead the class, but must ensure that the volunteer is clear about the objectives and how to reach them.

The teacher can ask the volunteer at the end of the lesson what she/he felt worked well, and how they (as a team) could have done anything differently. The teacher should also give feedback to the volunteer, ideally citing examples of helpful or supportive actions. Activities will vary based on the level of the children and the subject being taught.

Examples of what a volunteer can be asked to do in the classroom:• Prepare and hand out paper, pencils, colors, etc. • Collect notebooks and check or grade homework or exercises • Practice repeating numbers, letters, sounds, vocabulary, spelling, and/or multiplication with individuals or small groups of students• Keep score as the teacher orally quizzes different groups of children • Assist the children to organize their work or manipulate some equipment • Listen to the children read• Read aloud to the children, tell a story, or teach a song• Play a game with the children • Work with small groups of children on new work or to review previous lessons• Stick pictures or examples of the children’s work on the walls or hanging line• Help the children practice their English • Help the children clean/ decorate the classroom • Engage in or lead new activities in coordination with the teacher

5. Volunteer agreement I have read, understood, and consent to the guidelines above. As a volunteer with Jusoor, I understand that I must hold any information about a student’s academic progress, behavior, or a school-related incident completely confidential and must restrict all communication about a student (other than my own child) to the teacher, the guidance counselor, or the school’s administration. I also acknowledge that I will not contact a student’s parent or guardian unless specifically authorized by the Principal.

With the exception of verbally and politely requesting the students’ attention, I am not to otherwise discipline students. I further understand that it would be inappropriate for me to be alone with a student and I promise to always work in full view of school staff and never behind closed doors. If the school at which I volunteer has additional rules and procedures for volunteers, I agree to read and adhere to them at all times. If the school at which I volunteer offers an orientation or training program for volunteers, I agree to attend and participate.

Full name: Address line 1: Address line 2: Email: Phone number: Signature: Date:

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About the authorsMaya Alkateb-Chami is the Director of Jusoor, an international non-profit organization working to help Syria through education. Winner of the Academic Freedom Award, Jusoor focuses on higher education, remedial education for children, and entrepreneurship training. Previously, Maya ran Al Makan Art Association, a cultural non-profit in Syria, and co-founded and led the United World Colleges’ (UWC) scholarship program for Syrian adolescents. She also consulted and taught in the areas of NGO capacity building and youth engagement, including for Maastricht School of Management and UNRWA. Maya has an MSc in Education from Indiana University Bloomington and a BA in Political Science from Damascus University. Recipient of the Fulbright Scholarship and author of several books and articles on cultural heritage, her research focuses on youth empowerment through the arts.

Fran Roots is a Development Consultant with more than 20 years’ experience working with INGOs in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. She trained as a teacher, eventually specializing in Adult Education and Training, before doing her MA in International Development. She has also led Women’s Health and Nutrition projects in Yemen and Egypt. Upon arrival in Lebanon in 2014, Fran worked with Save the Children on Project Cycle Management and Program Funding. Having travelled extensively in Syria before the war, she is committed to improving the lives of women and children who have been affected by the conflict.

Suha Tutunji is the Academic Director of Jusoor’s Refugee Education Program. Suha has over 25 years of experience in education, including as a teacher, trainer of teachers, and school administrator in each of Lebanon, the UAE, and the UK. She has an MA in School Management and Supervision and is particularly interested in widening access to Syrian refugee education and supporting students with learning disabilities. Suha has participated in several research projects and she represents Jusoor on the INEE Minimum Standards Working Group for Emergency Education. She is credited for most of the design of Jusoor’s emergency education program in Lebanon

AcknowledgementsThis manual has been developed in the hope that Jusoor’s educational model can be replicated more widely in Lebanon and Syria’s other neighboring countries, and can be of service to a global network working with refugee children. Jusoor and the authors would like to thank the Varkey Foundation for its support towards developing this resource through its Challenge Fund Grant, and the authors would like to thank Mohamed Haj Ali for his efforts in managing the grant, Mohamed El-Ma’andi and Azhar Siddiqui for photography, and Dana Theodory for design.

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