Christian Schools in Jordan Welcome Iraqi Children

Little Ones Forced to Flee From Mosul, Nineveh Plain Face Added Challenges

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Iraqi children forced to flee have been welcomed by Christian schools in Jordan.

According to Fides, Caritas Jordan has been instrumental in having a government committee consider and seek to help the displaced children from Mosul and the Nineveh plain.

More than 1,400 of the 7,000 Christian refugees forced to flee from the region are school-age children.

Iraqi Christian children, the committee decided, will be integrated in the education and training system of the Hashemite Kingdom, which will be made greatly possible by the collaboration of Christian schools.

In the semester which just began, it is expected, the large-scale integration of the Iraqi Christian students in Jordanian schools will start.

Due to a series of difficulties, including overcrowding of classrooms, the children’s entry in public schools, the source explained, is impossible.

The schools of the Latin Patriarchate and other Christian schools, including those linked to the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, are willing to accept the students, confirmed Caritas Jordan.

However, the Iraqi Christian students often face additional challenges, such as not speaking Arabic fluently and learning difficulties caused by psychological trauma they suffered.

The Ministry of Social Development, along with support from international NGOs engaged in helping children, are contributing to this task of integration.

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Deborah Castellano Lubov

Deborah Castellano Lubov is Senior Vatican & Rome Correspondent for ZENIT; author of 'The Other Francis' ('L'Altro Francesco') featuring interviews with those closest to the Pope and preface by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Parolin (currently published in 5 languages); Deborah is also NBC & MSNBC Vatican Analyst. She often covers the Pope's travels abroad, often from the Papal Flight (including for historic trips such as to Abu Dhabi and Japan & Thailand), and has also asked him questions on the return-flight press conference on behalf of the English-speaking press present. Lubov has done much TV & radio commentary, including for NBC, Sky, EWTN, BBC, Vatican Radio, AP, Reuters and more. She also has contributed to various books on the Pope and has written for various Catholic publications. For 'The Other Francis': http://www.gracewing.co.uk/page219.html or https://www.amazon.com/Other-Francis-Everything-They-about/dp/0852449348/

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