201 Syrian, Jordanian young graduates take ‘step towards better future’

AMMAN — “The future belongs to the educated, to the dreamers, and to the curious young people,” said UNESCO representative to Jordan Constanza Farina, quoting theoretical physicist and renowned futurist Michio Kaku.

The remark came during the graduation ceremony of 201 young Jordanian and Syrian students held at Al Quds College on Monday.

“I am really touched and overwhelmed to see this young generation achieve graduation after a year of such hard work,” she told the audience, commending the efforts of the 175 Syrian refugees and 75 vulnerable Jordanian youth who undertook the “Technical and Vocational Education and Training for Syrian and Jordanian Youth in Jordan” programme.

Organised by the UNESCO Office in Amman in partnership with Al Quds College with a fund from the Korean government, the project witnessed the enrolment of 250 youth in the internationally accredited one-year diploma programme, in line with the 2016-2018 Jordan Response Plan.

“This programme has proven that with a little bit of help, these young men and women can overcome any obstacle,” said Razan Santarasi, an English teacher at Al Quds, adding “these youth are more than their circumstances and they are here starting their journey towards a better future.”

For Khaled, a hospitality graduate, the programme was a “life-changing” opportunity. “I didn’t get my Tawjihi and, when I tried to apply for hospitality studies, I was always asked for my diploma. I got desperate and felt like I was never going to be able to continue my education,” he said. 

The graduates, 56 per cent of whom were female, were presented with a diploma from the 7 various fields offered by the programme, which include civil engineering, land survey engineering, graphic and interior design, hospitality, office management and business administration and human resources management. 

“More than theoretical learning, we have been providing these youth with blended learning, which taught them how to learn by doing,” said Santarasi, adding “these courses have opened so many doors for them. They have started realising that, they too, could do something great.”

The woman, who served as master of ceremony, emphasised the stark changes she witnessed in the students throughout the year. “At the beginning, they were shy, especially in English, but they slowly gained confidence and learned how to get involved in their own learning process,” she explained.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Lee Bom-yon, commended the vocational training initiative, which “helped enhance a sustainable growth and development of the most vulnerable youth”.

The programme, which saw the trainees receive a BTEC Level 3 diploma, will help both Jordanians and Syrians access work opportunities more easily, according to Eddie Dutton, UNESCO education project officer.

“These trainings not only provided these youth who were very eager to study with quality education, but they also fostered the coexistence between these two communities through co-learning,” he told The Jordan Times at the ceremony.

“I have made some of the best friendships through the programme. I realised that, whether we were Jordanian or Syrian, we all faced the same challenges and could benefit from each other’s help,” said Omar, a graduate in engineering.

“After the programme, we follow up with the students to help them transition into work opportunities or to continue their education and training,” Dutton stated.

Praising the “successful collaboration” conducted with the UNESCO and the Korean embassy, Dean of Al Quds Ayman Maqableh said: “We are very proud to be helping those youth acquire the skills required by the labour market. One of the most pressing issues cited by the companies in Jordan is the lack of skilled workforce. Through our vocational trainings, we are teaching students how to gain both vocational and soft skills which are direly needed,” he said.