Coordinator of the Syrian Opposition Coalition’s (SOC) Office of Syndicates and Unions, Abdul Majid Barakat, visited he General Directorate for Lifelong Learning in the capital, Ankara, and met with General Director Yusef Buyuk.
The meeting brought together member of the SOC’s General Assembly, Kifah Murad, member of the Advisory Committee in the Syrian General Syndicate of Teachers, Ghassan Hamdan, and director of the foreign relations office in the Union Hassan Tayfour.
Barakat gave an overview on the SOC, its institutions and its work in defending the cause of the Syrian people, the work of the Syrian Interim Government in managing the liberated areas, and the Syrian General Syndicate of Teachers.
Tayfour talked about the issue of Syrian teachers in Turkey as he highlighted the major problems and difficulties they are facing. He called for reconsidering the decision to dismiss Syrian teachers and for increasing the allowances given to volunteer teachers.
Hamdan talked about the situation of Syrian teachers and students in the liberated areas in northwestern Syria and the tremendous efforts being made by the Turkish government to support the educational process.
Hamdan also stressed the need to improve the living conditions of teachers in those areas so and to activate the role of the Syrian General Syndicate of Teachers in order to play a role in raising public awareness.
He also proposed establishing a social solidarity fund to contribute to providing assistance and support to teachers, especially with regard to covering the costs of some surgical operations, providing immediate aid in cases of death, and contracting with pharmacies and doctors to reduce the cost of medicines and treatment for teachers.
Murad stressed the need to focus on teaching Syrian students in Turkey their native Arabic language in order to enable them to continue their studies in the event they return to Syria. She suggested giving students lessons in Arabic on Saturday.
Buyuk promised to study all the proposals and suggestions as he gave a detailed explanation on Turkey’s efforts to support the educational services in the liberated areas. He also talked about the difficulties that they are working day and night to overcome, especially with the approaching winter season. (Source: SOC’s Media Department)
