Idlib teachers protest, demanding contract renewals

Dozens of male and female teachers working under contracts awarded through the 2021 recruitment competition held a protest in front of the Directorate of Education building in Idlib, demanding the renewal of their contracts and their reinstatement in their teaching positions.

During the protest, participants held up banners calling for fair treatment and the renewal of their contracts on an equal basis with others. They said they had spent years working in the education sector and stressed their need for job stability.

According to the protesters, the 2021 competition was an official recruitment process to fill teaching vacancies, and the contracts concluded as a result of it, they said, included the possibility of renewal for up to five years as a step toward permanent employment. They called for these provisions to be applied to them.

The demands come as the Ministry of Education issued Decision No. 1601 on June 14, which stipulated the renewal of educational contracts concluded with contract teachers under specific conditions and procedures. These include submitting renewal applications between July 1 and 15 and renewing the contract at the Directorate of Education with which the teacher originally signed the contract.

The decision also linked the renewal process to the actual need for teaching positions, requiring education directorates to submit tables outlining their staffing needs to the central administration for approval before completing the renewal procedures.

In a statement previously published by SANA, Minister of Education Mohammed Abdul Rahman Terko said the decision aims to ensure stability in the educational process and make use of the experience of contract teachers. He stressed that the renewal procedures would be carried out according to clear and transparent criteria and in a manner that meets the educational needs of the provinces.

As for the reason why the contracts of teachers in Idlib specifically have not been renewed, the Ministry of Education has not provided a specific explanation or directly clarified the status of contracts awarded through the 2021 recruitment competition in the province.

The issue of dismissed and contract teachers has previously seen protests and demands in various parts of Syria throughout 2026. In February, the Ministry of Education announced the launch of procedures to reinstate thousands of teachers who had been dismissed from their positions under the former regime.

Protesters in Idlib are calling on the relevant authorities to clarify the criteria used to determine which contracts would be renewed and to explain why they were not included, if their exclusion is confirmed. They say this would put an end to the uncertainty surrounding their employment prospects.