Moving exams outside Sweida sparks outrage among residents

The decision of the Ministry of Education in the Interim Government to move the basic and secondary education certificate exams for students in Sweida Governorate to Damascus and its countryside has sparked widespread anger among residents and local figures, amid growing concerns for the safety of thousands of students and their academic future, with accusations that the government is using education as a tool to put pressure on the governorate's residents.

The ministry justified the decision by citing the need to maintain a "safe and fair environment" for the exams given the current circumstances; however, the move came after negotiations with the Sweida Education Directorate regarding the exam supervision mechanism stalled.

According to local sources, the Sweida Education Directorate agreed to the ministry's demands regarding supervision, but the government insisted on moving the exams to areas under government control or to centers in the Damascus countryside, which has fueled accusations that education is being used as a means of exerting pressure on the governorate's residents.

Residents believe that forcing students to travel to areas experiencing security tensions and frequent instability will exacerbate their psychological and security risks, especially with the exams approaching. They emphasized that the government should have provided stable exam centers within Sweida itself, rather than burdening students with additional hardships that could jeopardize their fundamental right to a safe education.

According to observers, the decision reflects the continued state of tension and marginalization that the governorate is suffering from, and puts the future of thousands of students in front of new challenges, amid demands to reconsider the decision and adopt solutions that guarantee the integrity of the exams without exposing students to the risks of movement and security disturbance.