17/05/2017 (Agence Europe) – On Wednesday 17 May, the European Commission announced it would provide €10 million to support education in opposition-held areas in Syria. The funding will help Education Directorates respond to the basic needs of teachers and staff, and will help maintain basic services such as access and quality of education. The EU will provide urgently needed funds to allow students to sit the equivalent of secondary school examinations in the summer of 2017. In the academic year 2017/18, the funds will ensure delivery of teacher stipends to over 11,000 teachers and education officials in opposition-held provinces of Idlib, Aleppo, Dera'a and Rural Damascus. The funds will also ensure psycho-social activities to help students, teachers and their communities cope with trauma. The support to the Education Directorates will also help to prevent radicalisation. (CG)