After opening a female empowerment centre in Shatila Refugee Camp in Lebanon, Meike Ziervogel and Kadria Hussien, Alsama’s co-founders, saw first-hand how refugee and displaced youth were excluded from education in Lebanon, failed by both the Lebanese school system and the prevailing sentiment that they should marry or work during childhood. Indeed, data shows that 58% of Syrian refugee children aged 3-18 are out of school (Norwegian Refugee Council, 2023) and 41 % of displaced Syrian girls are married before 18 (Girls Not Brides). Fewer than 3% of Syrian refugee children in Lebanon graduate from secondary school and, across the Middle East, only about 5% of refugees access higher education. It became clear that there was a need, not just for educational access for displaced young people, but also for a curriculum that took into account their lack of primary education and focused on accelerated progress.
After developing our bespoke 6-year curriculum, it became clear that an accelerated educational pathway by itself would not necessarily ensure access to tertiary education for displaced youth. International exams, such as SATs, are inaccessible, irrelevant to their context, and expensive. Non-formally educated students need a fair way to prove what they have learned. In response, we developed the G12++, a curriculum-agnostic, skills-based qualification designed to meet the educational realities of displaced youth.
Alsama's curriculum offers students a WASC-accredited, accelerated, end-to-end model. The curriculum is centred around three core subjects, Arabic, English, and Maths, and also covers IT, Science, Professionalism, Yoga, and Awareness. Students progress from illiteracy and innumeracy (in 90% of cases) in year 1, to C1 level English, C2 level Arabic, and GCSE Higher level Maths by their sixth year. The model is structured and intensive, with 4-7 hours of instruction per day, 44 teaching weeks per year, and progression from foundational literacy to Grade 12-equivalent capabilities.
Maths results from Bourj 1 in 2024 illustrate the large impact and rapid progress made by students through our curriculum: in February 2024 only 5% of students scored a level 3 or above in their ASER Maths test, while in July 2024, 95% of students attained a level 3 or above, achieving literacy in just 5 months.
In the sixth year of Alsama's curriculum, students take the G12++, a digital, curriculum-agnostic, grade 12-equivalent assessment designed specifically for displaced youth with a disrupted education. It examines 5 subjects: Applicable Maths, Scientific Thinking, English as a 2nd Language, Arabic as a 1st Language, and Life Success Skills. These are tested to international 12th grade standards and are modular to adapt to different contexts. Questions test critical thinking and applied problem-solving, rather than knowledge.
The G12++ is a digital assessment that uses QuestionMark software.
We opened our first Alsama education centre in 2020 in Shatila, where students began our 6-year curriculum. After 1.5 years of operating, its success was proven and we packaged and scaled our model. We opened a new centre in each subsequent year: 1 more in Shatila (2023), and 2 in Bourj al-Barajneh Refugee Camp (2022, 2024). This year, we expanded into Syria, opening a new centre in Homs, proving that our curriculum can be scaled to novel contexts and to students with different educational profiles to those we serve in Lebanon. We plan to continue expanding to other countries, to reach more displaced youth with disrupted educational backgrounds.
For the G12++, the last 3 years have seen Alsama rapidly build and prove the G12++ to be a credible, globally relevant innovation. In 2024, we developed a prototype exam with professional test-writers and over 20 academics, secured partial SkillsBuilder accreditation, and established an international Advisory Board. In 2025, we digitised the G12++, embedding AI to ensure scalability, secured MoUs with 5 universities, and received Ecctis recognition. In September 2025, we delivered the first G12++ beta-test across 6 countries with 200 youth, and in February 2026, it officially launched.
Over the next 2-3 years, Alsama aims to scale the G12++ to NGO and education partners and reach 5,000 test-takers per year by 2030. By 2040, the G12++ will serve 50,000 displaced youth annually as the global certification for refugee education.
Our curriculum and G12++ qualification are currently available to students enrolled at accredited partner centres. G12++ eligible students must demonstrate a B2 level of English, hold any form of documentation, and be able to use a computer.
For access to the curriculum and/or sample questions of the G12++, please contact either info@alsamaproject.com or g12@alsamaproject.com
There are 2 ways people can engage with our G12++ innovation – either as employers who would recognise the G12++ as proof of a student’s academic level or as partner centre who wish to administer the exam.
Employers:
Any employer who would accept the G12++ as valid hiring criteria should contact the G12++ team at Alsama Project. We welcome employers supporting equitable opportunities for students who have experienced disrupted education pathways.
Partner Centres:
Organisations that wish to deliver the G12++ begin by contacting the G12++ team at Alsama Project to register their interest. Registration for the G12++ is scheduled to open in 2028.
Following an initial expression of interest, the G12++ team will assess the organisation’s suitability, including their student profile, staffing, safeguarding measures, technological and invigilation capacity. Centres that meet the required standards formalise the partnership through a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) and become accredited G12++ centres.
