A group of Syrian students, new to Canada, just wrapped up their first week of class in Hugh John MacDonald School.

They're learning English together, along with all other subjects in a special classroom before they're further integrated.

"In Syria there is little English and no school, and here everybody is English," said Mostafa Aljaber, a Grade 8 student.

He is one of nine Syrian students in the school’s literacy program taught by Maranda Obradovic.

"There are a number of students in this classroom that are not literate or fluent in a first language, because of war, interrupted schooling, or being in a refugee camp where they don't have those opportunities," Obradovic said. 

The students will learn every subject with an emphasis on literacy and learning English. From there, the students will graduate into regular classrooms.

“The education is better in Canada,” said Grade 9 student Fatima Ibrahim. “I want to take full advantage and become a doctor.”