Despite pledges, 1 million Syrian refugees are out of school

BEIRUT — Schools in the Middle East are facing major budget shortfalls ahead of the new academic year, leaving some 1 million Syrian refugee children out of school, according to a report published by Their World, an international children’s charity. FILE – In this Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016 file photo, Syrian refugee children sit on the ground as they listen to their teacher inside a tent, home for a refugee family that has been turned into a makeshift school (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein, File) mb.com.ph The five-year-long Syrian war has placed huge strain on the region’s school systems, forcing neighboring countries to depend on multi-billion dollar grants from donor nations to meet education needs. There are 2.5 million Syrian children registered as refugees with the United Nations, the world body says. Most live in neighboring Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan as they wait for an opportunity to return home. In February, the [...]