[hre-asiapacific] Chadian camp lacks resources but does not skimp on school

IRIDIMI, Chad, April 27 (UNHCR) ­ The ritual unfolds every time someone
comes to visit. Schoolgirls and boys run up to surround the visitor and
recite expressions learnt in English and French: "Hello, how are you, ok,"
they repeat. Some are proud to show they know how to count in English
while others bombard the visitor with questions.

"Our children are going to build the future. We want to secure a good
education for them so that they can help change the situation in our
country later," says Hassan Mahamat Juma, one of the teachers in Iridimi
camp, located nearly 65 km from Chad's border with Sudan. It is one of the
11 UNHCR camps hosting 200,000 Sudanese refugees in eastern Chad.

Since Iridimi camp opened in March last year, classes have started
spontaneously on the initiative of refugee teachers. Despite the lack of
resources, the education system is very well organised in the camp, where
school-aged children make up about 30 percent of the 17,000-strong
population. There is a school in every one of the camp's 10 zones, with
young refugees attending either the central school or any of the nine
branch schools.

Today, buildings are being constructed to improve schooling conditions.
This has made the children very happy because their lessons, which focus
on the Sudanese curriculum, help them remember their former life in Sudan.
UNHCR, in collaboration with its partners and particularly the UN
Children's Fund (UNICEF), has decided to finance this initiative to
reinforce education. As part of this plan, UNICEF has just organised a
training session for teachers.

"No education, no life," says Hassan, speaking not just as a teacher but
also a father.

"We are satisfied with the attitude of the parents, who have proven to be
reliable partners on education in the camp," says Christine Lamarque, who
oversees community services for UNHCR in Iridimi. She adds that the
refugees' top concern is their children's education in the camp.

The teachers are just as committed. "Most of their requests involve the
supply of school materials, rather than salary increase," notes Lamarque.
The devoted teachers are willing to double their workload to ensure that
all registered students receive the education they deserve.

Adam Dewad Djibrin, 13, is in the third year of junior high school. He is
happy not only to have passed in the upper class, and also that his
brother and little sister are registered in school. "When I grow up, I
will be a teacher to educate my sisters and brothers who have stayed in
Sudan," he says.

"I will be a doctor when I grow up," adds another student, Oumar Fakara.

A vocational training centre will be opened in Iridimi camp to teach young
refugees practical skills like sewing, shoe-repairing or woodworking. A
nursery school will also be set up to promote education for little girls.
Boys, too, will get the attention they need, with a new system to be
established to educate those who tend to livestock for a living and thus
are unable to attend school.


By Bernard Ntwari
In Iridimi camp

Story date: 27 Apr 2005
UNHCR News Stories

Source: http://www.unhcr.ch/



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