Agreement on high school exams welcomed in NE, Syria

On Tuesday, June 10, a joint meeting was held between the Education Authority of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria and the Ministry of Education of the Damascus government to discuss coordination mechanisms regarding the middle and high school exam process, according to the curriculum of the former Syrian regime.

Following the meeting, the Education Authority announced in an official statement a set of procedures and instructions for the registration process at approved centers, stressing that this step comes "out of our commitment to organizing the examination process and ensuring the smooth registration of our students wishing to take primary and secondary school exams, according to the Damascus curriculum, in the regions of North and East Syria."

Six Registration Centers and a Timeline

The Authority has identified six registration centers distributed across the provinces of north and east Syria, two of which are in al-Jazira Canton, and one each in Raqqa, Tabqa, Euphrates, and Deir ez-Zor. Registration begins today, June 11, and continues until the 16th, daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Large Turnout and Popular Satisfaction in Hasakah

During a field visit by ANHA's correspondent to the Primary Education Certificate Registration Center in Hasakah city, located in the city's school administration building, the first day witnessed the arrival of thousands of students, both male and female, who expressed their satisfaction with this agreement and considered it a qualitative step that paves the way for educational stability after months of uncertainty and anxiety.

Student Khaled Ahmed Al-Ahmad said, "We were suffering greatly before the opening of these centers. We had to travel to Deir ez-Zor to register, which put a lot of pressure on us. The recent agreement has eased our psychological and financial burdens, and I am now ready for the exams."

Student Basma Ahmed Al-Awaid expressed her gratitude for the agreement, saying, "We didn't have the ability to travel to distant areas to take our exams. Opening these centers has saved us a lot of trouble and boosted our morale. We thank the Autonomous Administration for this facilitation."

Student Diaa Al-Shamdin highlighted the economic aspect, saying, "Many students were unable to register previously due to the distance between the centers and the high costs. This agreement has made things easier for us, and we hope to successfully take our exams."

Organizational Difficulties on the First Day

For her part, mathematics teacher Nejah Ramadan, who is assisting in the student registration process at the registration center, explained the importance of this educational consensus. She said, "This step has eased the burden of travel and residence in distant areas for students and their families. However, we face some challenges, such as the lack of knowledge about the registration process among many students, especially those without identification documents. We are working to address these problems through a specialized team that provides the necessary support."

She emphasized that this initiative represents an encouraging start toward further educational understandings in the future, saying, "We hope that these understandings will expand to include curriculum development, reflecting the diversity of Syrian society and serving the educational process comprehensively."

Students and parents remain focused on this type of initiative, which offers them a glimmer of hope amid a complex reality and confirms that education, despite all the challenges, remains a tool for rapprochement and reconstruction in conflict-weary Syria.

T/S

ANHA