Al Jazeera channel has produced a report about Masarat Initiative on World Humanitarian Day, stating that Masarat is an inspiring initiative that provides educational material for refugees who are far from their homeland, making it the first platform of its kind in the Arab world.
Masarat Empowering Refugees with Education
Masarat has offered its services to thousands of students who have benefited from the initiative and returned to the path of knowledge due to their belief in the importance of continuing their studies.The report showcased examples of the initiative students, including Ms. Suad, who returned to education despite her advanced age and joined Masarat Initiative to pursue a high school diploma because she believes that knowledge is a source of enlightenment that should not be limited by age.
The Initiative’s Innovative Approach to Education
The channel also featured Yasser Mudalallah, the Secretary-General of the initiative, who spoke about the humanitarian initiative, saying that Masarat Initiative is a unique model that provides online learning services to Syrians. It offers free educational services voluntarily, based on the needs of our people within the country.
Mudalallah added that the initiative initially aimed to establish a technological infrastructure to provide its services with the highest possible quality, targeting a large number of beneficiaries. Masarat obtained a license from Microsoft, which provided it with a free software package. It also developed an internal learning management platform to store knowledge in the form of courses. Subsequently, It produced content and uploaded it as educational resources on it’s YouTube channel, which has attracted over two million views.
Mudalallah continued by saying that people have become familiar with educational platforms that provide knowledge asynchronously, and they have also become accustomed to the existence of traditional learning platforms. However, Masarat Initiative has introduced a unique model that combines all the best elements together.
When asked about the number of students who have joined the platform and the level of interest, Mudalallah stated that the initiative serves everyone, and its doors are open to all educational levels. They can reach out to a wide range of people.
Masarat’s Humanitarian Efforts for Refugees
He added that at the beginning of the platform’s launch, people were not prepared for this type of education. But as the years went by and successful models emerged, the demand increased significantly. Over the course of three years, Masarat has served eight thousand beneficiaries, and they have received nine thousand new enrollment requests for the upcoming year. The interest is extremely high, especially among marginalized groups living in areas lacking educational services. Masarat has become their educational gateway towards the futures they aspire to.
Regarding the educational programs offered on the platform, Mudalallah stated, “We currently have four programs (paths). The first programme is school education, followed by the student activities path. Then there’s the academic guidance path, and finally, the vocational training path”.
Education: A Humanitarian Right
In conclusion, Mudalallah addressed the obstacles faced by students due to the weak infrastructure, difficulties in accessing the internet or electricity, and the scarcity of smart devices. He appealed through Al Jazeera’s screen to any entity that can provide technical and logistical support to assist students who are eager to learn. Education is a humanitarian right for all these people, but they cannot access it through traditional means in these circumstances.
