Impact of Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum on skills development among studnets of primary schooling in refugee camps in northwest Syria

Background: Abjad Initiative, an NGO based in Germany, supports education in war-affected areas in Syria since 2020. The initiative established safe learning spaces in its schools in internally displaced camps (IDCs) northwest Syria. The initiative implemented structured activities based on the five social-emotional learning (SEL) skills for 60 students in three schools.
Methodology: A 10-item questionnaire covering self-awareness, self-management, social relationships, social awareness, and responsible decision-making was used. Designed for young children, it included expressive images and a three-point scale to measure students' performance before and after the curriculum implementation.
Main results: Comparing children’s scores pre and post the implementation of the SEL curriculum demonstrated an overall gain score of 1.649, highlighting a significant positive impact. No statistically significant differences appeared between schools (α ≤ 0.05), however, differences were observed based on gender. Females showed statistically significant higher scores in self-management and social relationships, while males showed greater improvement in responsible decision-making skills.
Conclusion: Abjad Initiative recommends integrating SEL into school curricula and ensuring balanced inclusion in classroom activities. Emphasizing individual needs, the study highlights the importance of adopting SEL programs in conflict zones to enhance children’s emotional and social well-being and improve their learning opportunities in a safe environment.