Minister of Education presents state of education in Syria before parliament

During a parliamentary hearing before the Syrian Parliament, Minister of Education Mohammad Abdul Rahman Tarkou said that the ministry is facing growing challenges in accommodating the increasing number of students in schools, noting that the number of students expected during the current academic year will reach approximately 6 million.

Tarkou said that demand for schools exceeds the Ministry of Education's current capacity, explaining that new schools are being opened on a daily basis. However, these schools require teaching staff, while demand for schools exceeds the number of available personnel.

He noted that the ministry has opened 134 schools in Aleppo and 50 schools in Idlib, while preparing to open 37 schools in Hama. He added that a large portion of the funds allocated under Decree No. 59 has been earmarked for rebuilding schools in areas where residents are returning from camps. He also said that the ministry is providing the “Syria Without Camps” Committee with data concerning the schools and areas targeted for return.

Two Million students outside the education system

Regarding school dropouts, Tarkou estimated the number of students who have dropped out at approximately 2 million, attributing this to a combination of economic and social factors, as well as the absence of schools in some areas.

He explained that the influx of students returning from outside Syria poses additional challenges, including a lack of documentation, language difficulties, and differences in the curricula they previously studied.

He said that the ministry has introduced measures to facilitate the integration of returning students who face difficulties with the Arabic language by organizing an Arabic-language course and examination, which benefited approximately 38,000 students, in addition to addressing the situations of students who experienced interruptions in their education.

Tarkou said that the ministry is operating under both an emergency plan and a strategic plan aimed at securing the right to education and developing the education system, moving from addressing current gaps toward building a stronger and more equitable educational system.

Curricula and school textbooks

Regarding curricula, Tarkou explained that the ministry has adopted a two-year transitional period for students who studied the old curricula, with the aim of enabling them to transition to the unified curriculum.

He added that approximately six months ago, the ministry completed the preparation of the national standards for developing the new curricula, and that these standards are currently with the council.

As for school textbooks, he said that the ministry printed 41 million books for the current academic year, compared with 28 million books last year, stressing that all students in grades one through four will receive new textbooks.

Teachers’ affairs law

Regarding the teaching workforce, Tarkou said that the ministry has reinstated more than 14,000 teachers who had been dismissed because of their participation in the revolution, noting that they are entitled to choose to work at the location closest to their homes.

He explained that the draft law to permanently regularize the status of the dismissed teachers has reached its final stages in preparation for submission to Parliament. The draft also covers teachers who reached retirement age before liberation, with their years of service taken into account.

He noted that the Teachers’ Affairs Law has been referred to the drafting committee at the General Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic, explaining that it establishes a legal framework governing the treatment of teachers and adopts the principle of progression through grades.

According to Tarkou, the law includes six grades, through which teachers advance based on specific points determined according to training courses and evaluations. The aim is to raise the level of the teaching workforce and strengthen the education system with more qualified teachers.

Compulsory education and oversight

The Minister of Education confirmed that the ministry is working to enforce compulsory education at the basic education level in accordance with Law No. 7. At the same time, he said that the ministry monitors the implementation of ministerial decisions through internal oversight and the Central Agency for Control and Inspection.

He also addressed the issue of some neighborhood committees interfering in the evaluation of teaching staff in certain areas, stressing that the ministry is following up on these cases.

Certificates return to the electronic system

As part of efforts to develop educational services, Tarkou explained that the certificate equivalency process has become fully electronic, allowing students to register and upload their certificates, identification documents, and the required information.

He noted that the ministry is suffering from outdated legislation that is no longer compatible with current needs and the ministry’s aspirations, in addition to weaknesses in the digital system. He pointed out that work is currently underway to build an integrated educational database.

The ministry also announced, according to the minister’s presentation, the introduction of a new visual identity for schools with the aim of making the school environment more attractive to students.

Supporting gifted students and international schools

Tarkou stressed the importance of supporting gifted and high-achieving students through the Authority for Excellence and Creativity, in partnership with the Ministry of Higher Education.

In another development, he announced that the ministry will open, next week, the first private international school in Syria offering the International Baccalaureate (IB). He noted that a special decree concerning international schools has been issued, opening the door to the establishment of private international schools in the country.

Supporting schools in return areas

Tarkou explained that the ministry is working to direct a large portion of the resources allocated toward rehabilitating schools in areas experiencing the return of residents from camps, in coordination with the relevant authorities, stressing the importance of providing educational infrastructure alongside the return operations.

He emphasized that the challenge is not limited to reopening schools, but also includes securing the necessary teaching staff amid the continued increase in the number of students. He said that the new schools being opened every day require personnel, while demand for schools exceeds the number of available staff.

ANHA