NNA - Angelina Eichhorst, Head of the European Union Delegation to Lebanon and Eunice Crook, Director of British Council in Lebanon, signed a contract for a ?1.3 million project to facilitate the integration of students into the Lebanese public school system.



The project aims to support the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and the Centre for Educational Research and Development (CERD) in the development of language teaching methodology and cultural awareness training which will benefit both Syrian and Lebanese students. Through the project, 25 Lebanese teacher trainers and 1500 Lebanese teachers will enhance their skills in language teaching. Over the 28 months of the project it is expected that this will benefit around 90,000 Syrian refugee children participating in Accelerated Learning Programmes with a wide range of NGOs as well as their Lebanese peers within the public school system.



The award of the contract to the British Council - which will work in association with the Institut français du Liban - builds on the work that the two organizations have already carried out in support of the Ministry of Education's response to the Syria refugee crisis, with some NGOs, to carry out a needs analysis of Lebanese schools hosting Syrian refugee children.



"We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with The Ministry of Education in Lebanon and the CERD to support and develop the excellent work they have already done to respond to the education needs of children as a result of the Syria crisis. This project will leave a lasting legacy of teacher development and will help both Syrian and Lebanese young people in the acquisition of the language skills required for their education." Eunice Crook, Director British Council Lebanon.



"This project will provide Lebanese teachers with simple pedagogical skills enabling them to include in the classrooms children coming from different cultural backgrounds and who did not receive instruction in a foreign language in Syria. These skills will help teachers to consider multilingualism and multiculturalism as richness rather than as a barrier to language learning as well as they will support teachers in developing a strong dynamic of integration in the classrooms" Carole Dandeville, cooperation attaché for education and director for the language courses at the Institut français du Liban.


"The European Union will continue its support to Lebanon in dealing with the consequences it faces due to the conflict in Syria. We very much thank Lebanon for its generosity and hospitality towards the refugees from Syria. We commend the Ministry of Education and Higher Education for its policy to grant access for Syrian refugee children and we remain committed to continue our already significant support to the education sector in Lebanon" - Angelina Eichhorst, Head of EU Delegation to Lebanon.



The project will be implemented by the British Council, in association with the Institut Français du Liban. It will be 80% funded by the European Union and 20% funded by the British Council. The contract was awarded following a call for proposal launched in December 2012 by the European Union with the title "Support for the Syrian population affected by the crisis."



===============