Back in 2012, the “Cilicia” School was set up in Nar-Dos Primary School N 14 of Yerevan, based on the Syrian school curriculum in Arabic. The school was set up by Cilicia Charitable Organization for Syrian-Armenian families having settled in Armenia so that Syrian-Armenian children could continue their education and wouldn’t have difficulties upon their return to Syria after the stabilization of the political situation. The war continued, and today, Syrian-Armenian children are learning with the schoolchildren of Armenia based on Armenia’s school curriculum.

As reports Hayern Aysor, 32 Syrian-Armenian children (mainly in the 6^th-9^th grades) are enrolled at the school after Nar-Dos.

The school provides free extra courses on almost all subjects (math, Russian language, Armenian language, fine arts) for the Syrian-Armenians after school. The school provides the Syrian-Armenian children with relevant books. Today, they are no different from their classmates in Armenia.

The teachers say the children had problems with communication with the other children and writing in Eastern Armenian in the beginning, but thanks to additional classes, they are learning like the other children. Today, the Syrian-Armenian schoolchildren have no problems with communication and take part in various school events.

Marushka Saab, Rita Arazanian, Maria Georg, Marine Manoukian and Vani Zelladian are in the 6^th grade.

Vani, 12, was born in Aleppo, Syria. Her family moved to Armenia in 2013. Vani adapted to the new environment very well. She says her classmates received her so well that it seems as though she has always been attending this school. In a short amount of time, she managed to adapt and become friends with her classmates. Vani wants to stay in Armenia and would like to visit Syria for only a short period.

Marushak, 11, came from Damascus. Her friends refer to her as ��?long-haired’ for her long and beautiful hair. Marushak loves her class and teachers for receiving her so kindly and generously. She is slowly adapting to speaking in Eastern Armenian and to the environment.

Maria Georg moved to Armenia in 2014. She still has trouble communicating, but her additional courses help her keep up with her other classmates. In Aleppo, Maria was also a gymnast. Her friends like her a lot, especially for the sweetness of her language.

Headmaster of the 7^th “b” class, Mrs. Baghdasaryan talks about her Syrian-Armenian students with great pleasure and excitement and considers them her children. The headmaster said the children had difficulties with Eastern Armenian in the beginning, but thanks to their teachers and the additional lessons, they have overcome the language barrier.

Among the Syrian children in the 7^th “b” class are Ani Keshishian, Arpi Margarian, Meghrig Nazlian and Meghri Bazarjian.

Ani Keshishian said she had a lot of trouble speaking in Eastern Armenian when she first arrived in Armenia, but managed to learn and keep up with her other classmates due to the additional courses. Ani has some difficulty with orthography, but works hard so that she can overcome the language barrier.

Meghrig Nazlian didn’t speak in Armenian when she came to Armenia, but she can talk to her peers, though with a little difficulty. Despite her lack of good knowledge of Armenian, Meghrig was also received well at the school. Thanks to the teachers’ kindness and patience, Meghrig now attends lessons on a daily basis.

Joel Ibrahim and Marina Hovhannisian are in the 9^th grade. The headmaster and the other teachers proudly presented the girls and said they were content with the girls’ progress and line of conduct. Joel and Marina study well and prepare for all the lessons as the others.

The girls are also very content with their classes and teachers. They adapted to the environment very quickly since they had no problems with Eastern Armenian. Although Marina takes the long road to reach the school, she doesn’t want to change her school because, as she says, the people love her here.

Tatev Davtyan

4^th year student of the Faculty of Journalism of Yerevan State University