“We want to make summer schools about both fun and education,” says Omar Sakaji, NRC’s education programme coordinator.
Our summer school programme has been operating in 15 formal public schools in the city of Irbid in northern Jordan since 2016, where children with learning difficulties – mainly Syrian refugees and Jordanian pupils – enjoy learning Arabic, English, maths, and social skills. These classes are designed to align with the Jordan Ministry of Education (MoE) curriculum. The summer school helps students and teachers interact in a child-friendly environment, where parents are welcome to join.
Popular English classes
Iman is an English teacher in Jijin Secondary school for girls. On the day of our visit, she decided to use crafts and asked her students to design birthday cards. “It was my birthday two days ago, so I was thinking, maybe we can make birthday cards for our friends, and write a message for them in English,” says Iman.
Iman’s English class is the students’ favourite subject at the summer school – the children understand the importance of learning the language.
Ambitious children
Heba is nine years old and is to about to start the fourth grade. “I am learning English because I know I will need it at some point, when I one day become a judge, and especially when I travel,” says Hiba.
Layla is ten years old and will start fifth grade this year. She is very excited to tell us about her dreams. She aspires to be an architect when she finishes her education. "I love sketching and drawing buildings, so building an actual house that I drew is going to be very nice," says Layla.
"I was happy to see strong and confident girls with defined career aspirations and dreams. Sometimes we meet children who are shy and do not know how to express themselves. Heba and Layla’s artistic talents were also outstanding, that is why I felt the need to connect with them" says Lian Saifi, NRC Jordan’s acting communications coordinator.
Making math fun!
“We all know that maths is one of the most unpleasant classes for students, but I try my best to make it fun and interactive. We play games with numbers and use drawings as a teaching method in math. This way, I believe my students will be better prepared for the new school year,” says maths teacher Manal.
“Enough with classes, let’s play outside.”
Recreational outdoor activities are the students’ favourite part of the day. Walking among them while they are playing outside is a delightful experience – you hear their laughter and cheering noises in the background. Some play football, others play the rope-pulling challenge, or walk around in the playground chatting. "I won twice at rope pulling. There are many rules in this game. The teacher makes sure he keeps an eye on us so that we don’t cheat or get hurt. My friends and I are the best in this game," says Mohamad.
It has been a long day for the students, full of learning and recreational activities. To help them stay focused and energised, NRC provides them with a healthy snack during the day, consisting of a banana, milk, and biscuits.
Parents’ involvement
The school administration usually encourages parents to visit the school and take part in their children’s activities. During the visits, the parents also receive feedback from teachers about their children’s performance and needs. Most parents pass by to pick up their children from school after an exciting day.
Khitam enrolled her son in the summer school because he needs extra attention in classes. "He is happy about the summer school. He always comes back home, excited to do his homework, which is not the case during normal school days. I believe it is because of the new facilities and the fun atmosphere they are in.”
