For over 12 years, Jusoor has been committed to providing quality education to Syrian refugee students, primarily in Lebanon. Now, we are proud to take our first step inside Syria with a transformative teacher training program—an essential foundation for rebuilding the country’s education system.
Investing in Teachers to Invest in Students
At Jusoor, we believe that to serve students effectively, we must first empower their teachers. Our experience in refugee education has shown that well-trained educators create lasting change. In Lebanon, we’ve successfully trained and even certified teachers through university partnerships. Now, we’re bringing that expertise back to Syria.
This summer, we launched a series of intensive three-day teacher trainings in Zabadany, Maadameyet el Sham, and Haran el Awameed, reaching 90 primary school teachers across these regions. Why primary school? Because this is where the foundation of a child’s education is built—where they learn to think critically, nurture curiosity, and engage with technology.
Bridging the Gap After Years of Crisis
Syria’s teachers have endured more than a decade of war, sanctions, and isolation, leaving many without access to modern teaching methods. Our training program was designed to help them catch up with 21st-century educational practices, equipping them with skills to foster student-centered learning in challenging environments.
“We learned how to plan child-centered lessons, getting students involved in their learning journey through group activities.” Abeer Elshalaby, a teacher at Maadameyet al-Sham First Mixed School,
The sessions, led by Jusoor’s Head of Refugee Education, Suha Tutunji, along with Ahmed Salama and Gihad Qaisania—top Syrian teachers from our Lebanon centers—covered essential topics, including Classroom management, Annual and weekly planning & assessment, Student-centered learning & critical thinking, and teacher well-being in crisis contexts.
Our goal is not just to train teachers but to create a multiplier effect, where these educators can eventually train others, spreading knowledge and sustainable change.
From Training to Practice: A Summer Program for Students
Following the teacher trainings, we will launch a six-week summer program in the same locations, reaching 900 students. The curriculum includes Arabic, English, and Math, as well as mental health and social-emotional learning topics identified as critical through our research earlier this year.
The best part? The teachers we just trained will lead the program under our supervision, giving them hands-on experience to apply their new skills.
“One of the most important things we learned is strategy and goal setting—how to set weekly, monthly, and annual plans to reach those goals. We also learned how to focus on objectives without overwhelming students, making learning more effective.” Nour Taqtaq, a teacher at Maadameyet al-Sham First Mixed School, shared.
Building a Brighter Future, One Step at a Time
Our mission is clear: to support Syrian students by strengthening their teachers. This training marks just the beginning of our work inside Syria, but it’s a crucial step toward long-term educational recovery.
At Jusoor, we believe in the power of education to transform lives—even in the most challenging circumstances. Together with dedicated teachers and communities, we’re laying the groundwork for a brighter future in Syria.
