Assault on school principal; threats against another in Homs

 The educational sector in Homs continues its downward spiral, with chaos and unrest becoming the defining features of the educational landscape amid a glaring absence of effective laws and persistent tensions.

Despite a decline in student numbers due to recurrent strikes that have paralyzed the educational process, this morning, Iskandaronah School in Bayada witnessed a grave incident that crossed all boundaries.

The school principal, Samia Hourieh, was physically assaulted by several parents on the school premises for reasons that sources have not precisely disclosed. This brazen attack constitutes a flagrant violation of the institution’s authority, prompting intervention from personnel affiliated with the so-called "Public Security" apparatus of the Syrian transitional government.

Nonetheless, according to circulating reports, no decisive action has been taken against the assailants, raising questions about potential connections between the attackers and influential figures within the "Public Security" forces themselves, exposing a clear failure in the enforcement of justice.

The incident did not end there; news emerged that a female teacher was suspended while on her way to the same school. Reports indicate that the interrogators questioned her sectarian identity, specifically inquiring whether she belonged to the Alawite sect.

Such behaviors shed renewed light on the intensification of sectarianism and its detrimental impact on social cohesion and public service institutions, particularly educational ones.

These incidents should not be viewed as isolated occurrences but rather as manifestations of escalating tensions and the collapse of deterrence and protection mechanisms within educational institutions.

In a related event, armed individuals stormed the Faculty of Arts building at Damascus University, assaulting several academic staff members on campus, sparking widespread concern among students and faculty alike.

It is worth noting that just last week, a far more tragic event took place when teacher Layal Damir Gharib was killed while her route to Walid Al-Najjar School in the Jandali neighborhood, following an attack carried out by a group described by local media as “terrorists.”

These successive incidents clearly highlight the profound crisis engulfing the education sector amid rampant chaos and lack of accountability in areas under the control of the Syrian transitional government. The crisis no longer confines itself to administrative and educational challenges but has escalated to direct threats against lives and the erosion of public trust in state institutions.

ANHA