Memorandum of Understanding between Education Ministry and the Refinery
Ministry of Education in the Syrian Arab Republic and Damascus Petrochemical Refinery Company signed a memorandum of understanding that aims to increase the culture of environmental awareness for students towards their surroundings in order to reach a clean green environment, based on the importance of linking education with national institutions, and supporting all educational activities for pupils and students in public schools.
Before signing the memorandum, Director General of the Refinery, Dr. Samer Abu Ammar, briefed Minister of Education, Darem Tabaa, during a meeting held on the Ministry’s building, on the history of the establishment of the Refinery, its production lines, and the mineral oils and other materials it produces.
He also gave an explanation about the role of the Refinery in supporting student activities and developing their research in the Faculty of Sciences at Damascus University, referring to the scientific cooperation program signed by the Refinery with Damascus University since 2007, adding that the Refinery is working to conclude an agreement with al-Baath University in the field of scientific research.
Minister of Education hailed work of the Refinery and its role in encouraging and sponsoring the educational process, expressing the Ministry’s readiness to cooperate with the company in everything that supports the educational process, raising awareness among students and supporting their activities.
Memorandum of Understanding signed between Ministry of Education and the Refinery
The memorandum was signed by Director of Planning and International Cooperation at the Ministry of Education, Ghassan Shughri, and the Director of the Refinery, Dr. Samer Abu Ammar on behalf of Chairman of the Refinery’s Board of Directors, Ahmed Al-Ansari.
The purpose of the memorandum of understanding
The memorandum, which extends for a year, and is subject to annual renewal with the agreement of the two parties, aims to provide assistance in the field of quality education and health awareness, and in the field of psychosocial support and environmental awareness for students in schools, especially in the field of preserving the environment, and not to pour mineral oils or throw oil waste of all kinds into the environment, and providing a technical and administrative staff to complete the required tasks, and drawing attention to the importance of environmentally- friendly industrial projects.
It also includes holding many activities such as competitions and awareness activities, presenting gifts to the target group, implementing agreed-upon activities within public schools or centers supervised by the Ministry or within the Refinery headquarters and under the supervision of Ministry of Education, in addition to holding activities to promote public, personal and health hygiene, and organizing field trips outside official working hours to the Refinery’s headquarters in al-Dmeir area and let them be acquainted with the facility and its work in recycling used oils and waste oil, and its impact on preserving the environment and under the supervision of the company’s cadres.
The memorandum also included paving the way for the Refinery to publish (awareness brochures) within the billboards in schools and education directorates.
Minister of Education: distinguished memorandum
Minister of Education said that a distinguished memoran dum of understanding was signed with the Refinery, which is one of the private sector companies concerned with the chemical industries, and this is the first time work has been done with the ministry with the aim of supporting the educational process, and securing requirements that may link the educational sector with the industrial sector and, thus, contribute to the student’s access into the labor market.
The minister added that the establishment of a center of excellence for chemistry to develop chemical industries was discussed in cooperation with experts, whether from the Distinction and Creativity Agency, universities, or experts in the refinery, pointing out that it will be the first center in the region concerned with developing and creating new innovations in the field of chemical industries, to serve Reality, the local community and the development of local capabilities to devise materials and tools that can contribute to the development of the national economy.
The Memo targets young age groups
In turn, the director of the refinery indicated that the memorandum comes within the framework of the company’s plan to develop its plan to increase the size of its community contribution, and to supply the national economy with products related to creativity, especially in the field of petrochemistry and chemistry.
He added that the Refinery targets at this stage young groups and students in the pre-university stages, as “we were previously able to conclude an agreement with the University of Damascus, and we are currently working with al-Baath University regarding the undergraduate and postgraduate levels to attract researchers and remarkable research in the field of chemistry and petro chemistry, in order to supply the national economy with products innovative, capable of adding value to the national economy.
The memorandum enters into force as soon as it was signed by the two parties.