School Desks

Providing school desks is one of the greatest challenges facing the education sector as it begins to recover in Deir ez-Zor. The al-Basira educational complex is among those with the greatest need.

A survey of 92 schools found that they had only 3,600 school desks between them, although they needed a total of 9,773.

The school desk production project, implemented between 26 April and 26 June 2019, was therefore one of the initiatives aimed at meeting the basic needs of schools.

During the project, 3,748 high-quality school desks were produced and distributed.

The desks were manufactured in specialised workshops in the western countryside of Deir ez-Zor. This location was chosen because of its proximity to sources of raw materials in the Raqqa market.

The finished desks were then transported to the al-Basira educational complex in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor.

Ali al-Fandi, Headteacher of East Daranj School, describes the project:

"Before 2011, schools were almost fully equipped with all the materials and facilities needed for education.

After 2011, education came to a halt, and schools were subjected to destruction and vandalism. As a result, they lost nearly everything they needed for teaching, including their desks. A large proportion of schools still suffer from these conditions.

Students had to sit on the floor during the cold winter months. This caused many children to drop out of school.

When humanitarian organisations began working in the area and this project was launched, we received high-quality school desks. The iron and wood used were of excellent quality, as was the assembly.

We hope the education authorities will continue providing the necessary support, supplying schools with furniture and maintaining their sanitation facilities.

We thank everyone who contributed to completing this project."

The project encouraged many children who had dropped out of school to return to education.