| The learning centre educates almost 300 children from grade 1(age 5) up to grade 11(age 16). The children are from Sudanese refugee families and almost entirely from a poor Christian background. There are a few Muslim children who attend the school. The Sudanese national curriculum is taught which maintains the connection to Sudanese culture and traditions. The 23 teachers, who are also from the Sudanese refugee community, come from a Christian background. Christianity is exclusively taught within its religious studies classes. There is a transitionary feel to the school as virtually all the pupils and teachers are waiting for their visas to allow them to relocate to other countries and so they are effectively in transit to a new life overseas. This process, however, generally takes several years affording a measure of stability to the children’s education. Sudanese refugee children are allowed by Egyptian law to attend state schools however these are almost always overcrowded and prioritise access for Egyptian children. As a result, were it not for schools like the SDLC, these refugee children would receive no education at all and would most likely drift into crime and be unable to access opportunities in life. Teaching in the school is provided in English, with Arabic taught as a single subject, in contrast to Egyptian government schools teaching is done in Arabic. For Sudanese families, learning and demonstrating knowledge of English is a crucial factor when it comes to navigating the process of securing a successful application to live in overseas countries, and so the fact that the school teaches in English is a major plus and help in enabling many families to progress with their lives. It is also very helpful in enabling children to continue with their studies in other schools and in colleges after they move on, and advantageous in securing employment, even in lowly jobs like housekeeping where being able to speak English is a big advantage. |
