Mohammad Kakhi| Sedra al-Hariri| Raghad Othman| Lama Diab
A few days from now, on September 21, the new school year will begin in Syria amid one of the most complex crises the education sector has faced since the outbreak of the war. Ministry of Education statistics indicate there are around 19,400 schools, of which 7,900 are completely or partially destroyed. Dropout rates are widespread, with about 2.4 million children having left school over the past years. Currently, about 4.2 million children are enrolled inside Syria, while the return of 1.5 million students from abroad is expected, posing additional challenges for the ministry in terms of providing classrooms and appropriate integration plans.
Additional difficulties include the varying legal statuses of teachers, the multiplicity of curricula, and the difficulty of integrating returning students from countries such as Turkey and Germany.
Reforming the education sector requires massive funds unavailable to the government, while UN fundraising efforts have stalled, securing only $25.1 million of the $133.9 million needed this year, leaving a funding gap of $108.7 million.
The new school year begins as Syrian families struggle to cover basic daily needs, due to low wages, a collapsing exchange rate, layoffs, and salary delays in many public and private sectors caused by a liquidity crisis.
Despite the Education Ministry’s attempts to launch emergency plans and initiatives to rebuild schools, unify curricula, and provide teaching staff, the challenges exceed the capacity of official measures alone.
Enab Baladi, through this special file, highlights the reality of education in Syria at the start of the 2025–2026 academic year by presenting official figures, field testimonies, and expert insights, in order to reflect the scale of the crisis and possible ways forward.
Funding falls short: Schools destroyed, children out of classroomsOn June 9, Minister of Education Mohammed Turko said about 40% of Syrian schools are fully or partially destroyed, with around 7,215 schools in urgent need of repair.
He added that more than four million children in Syria need education, including about 2.4 million currently outside the school system.
UN estimates, published in a report on July 2, indicate that between 40% and 50% of children aged 6–15 are now out of school.
In Suwayda province (southern Syria), schools have seen an almost total halt to education due to the displacement of many teachers and the allocation of most schools as shelters for displaced families or those whose homes were destroyed by fires, further disrupting the education process.
On August 17, the ministry announced the launch of the national initiative “Give Me Back My School”, as part of a strategic plan to rehabilitate damaged schools and secure children’s right to education.
Minister Turko revealed that the ministry had prepared both emergency and strategic plans to ensure every child has a school seat.
The emergency plan includes building at least one school in every destroyed area, alongside broad investments and joint efforts with international organizations to rebuild educational infrastructure.
On July 22, the ministry also announced a plan to restore 279 schools across Syria, targeting those with moderate to severe damage.
A girl sits in front of her destroyed school in Saraqib (Idlib province, northern Syria) – July 3, 2025 (Sonia al-Ali / DW)
What about education sector funding?
Finance Minister Mohammed Yosr Bernieh confirmed during the launch of the “Give Me Back My School” campaign that the sectors receiving the largest share of state budget spending include health, education, and social affairs.
He explained that an additional allocation was made to the education sector to provide a comfortable learning environment.
The minister added that partnerships are essential in the process of rehabilitating schools, noting that there is a tax exemption of up to 20% for those who support this sector.
He pointed out that the government has received promises from the Saudi Development Fund to help restore destroyed schools, with the possibility of resorting to loans if additional financing is needed for school repairs and rebuilding the education process.
The reality of schools in Suwayda
For his part, Suwayda governor Mustafa al-Bakkour, accompanied by a delegation from the Ministry of Education, made an inspection visit on August 25 to schools in western Suwayda countryside (southern Syria), which are under government control, to assess their needs and prepare them ahead of the 2025–2026 school year, with the aim of providing a proper learning environment for students.
In contrast, the mechanism for handling other schools in the province, organizing their operations, and ensuring salaries for teaching staff remains unclear.
Enab Baladi tried to reach out to the relevant officials for further details on the matter but did not receive a response.
40% of Syrian schools are completely or partially destroyed, with about 7,215 schools in urgent need of repair.
Mohammed Turko, Minister of Education
Between 40% and 50% of children aged 6–15 are now out of the education system.
UN estimates, July 2, 2025
A girl sits in front of her destroyed school in Saraqib (Idlib province, northern Syria) – July 3, 2025 (Sonia al-Ali / DW)
School supplies: Economic reality burdens familiesSince the onset of inflation and the worsening living conditions in Syria, the rising costs of school supplies, including clothing and stationery, have become a heavy burden on families at the start of every school year.
During a market survey conducted by an Enab Baladi correspondent in Damascus and its countryside, prices were found to be as follows: notebooks range from 2,000 to 17,000 Syrian pounds (about 0.17–1.5 USD), pens from 1,000 to 3,000 pounds (0.09–0.26 USD), sharpeners and erasers at 500 pounds each (0.04 USD), while pencil cases range between 25,000 and 35,000 pounds (2.2–3 USD).
School bag prices start at 50,000 pounds (4.3 USD) and vary depending on size and design, reaching up to 200,000 pounds (17.4 USD).
As for school uniforms, the cost of the marioul (primary school uniform) ranges between 50,000 and 200,000 pounds (4.3–17.4 USD). Pants and shirts for middle and high school students cost between 90,000 and 150,000 pounds (7.8–13 USD), depending on the fabric type, whether imported or local, and the “model.” These factors raise the final cost for families.
The above figures indicate that equipping one primary school student with the cheapest available supplies costs a family around 150,000 pounds (about 13 USD), while the cost rises to about 250,000 pounds (21.7 USD) for a middle or high school student due to additional needs.
Parents interviewed by Enab Baladi said that although promotions are available in various shops and bookstores, prices remain high and differ according to quality, with families buying according to their financial ability.
Wissam Abdeen, a shop owner in Damascus, explained to Enab Baladi that while the prices of school uniforms have not changed significantly, the economic situation is difficult. “Markets are experiencing stagnation in sales, and the school season only slightly boosts activity, as parents focus on buying the basics,” he said.
No price regulation
The return to school places a heavy burden on 90% of families in terms of stationery, bags, shoes, and uniforms, according to Abdel Razzaq Habzeh, secretary of the Consumer Protection Association.
Based on a tour he conducted in Damascus markets, Habzeh said, “There is an increase in the prices of school bags and shoes due to imported goods.”
He noted that the different designs and “models” of bags also play a role in pricing, as the drawings and decorations have little cost for manufacturers but yield high profits. “The previous drop in the exchange rate did not affect the prices of raw materials used in producing bags and shoes,” he added.
The suspension of leather exports during the previous period led to a surplus of goods in the market, causing prices to drop temporarily, but they rose again at the start of the school season amid demand from families, according to Habzeh.
“The suspension of leather exports during the previous period led to a surplus of goods in the markets, causing prices to drop, but they rose again at the start of the school season as families rushed to buy supplies.”
Abdel Razzaq Habzeh,
Secretary of the Consumer Protection Association
He also pointed out that there is no longer a fixed pricing system or cost breakdown as before, due to the shift toward a free market. “There is no fair competition between traders and manufacturers,” he said.
Current oversight is limited to monitoring quality and requiring product prices to be displayed, while pricing itself is left to market competition, according to Habzeh.
He called on the government to intervene by reactivating state-owned leather companies in cooperation with the private sector to help ease the burden on consumers, as locally produced goods would be cheaper than imports.
Why prices rose
Dr. Abdel Rahman Mohammed, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Economics for Administrative and Student Affairs at Hama University, told Enab Baladi that the increase in school clothing and stationery prices is due to several factors:
The depreciation of the Syrian pound, which raised import costs and was reflected in the prices of imported goods, including school supplies.
Rising transportation costs, whether due to fuel prices or internal transport difficulties, adding to shipping expenses.
Seasonal demand, as the start of the school year drives high demand for clothing and stationery, prompting some traders to exploit the season by raising prices.
Heavy reliance on imported goods rather than local production, making prices more vulnerable to global changes.
Exploitation by some traders in the absence of effective regulation, leading to unjustified price hikes.
Regulating prices is everyone’s responsibility
On measures the government could take to ease the burden on citizens, Mohammed said this could be achieved by encouraging local industries to provide more affordable alternatives and reducing dependence on imports. He also suggested lowering taxes on importers and manufacturers of school supplies to cut final costs for consumers.
Other steps could include organizing seasonal school supply fairs to sell at lower prices in cooperation with the private sector, as well as distributing supplies at subsidized rates through cooperatives or government outlets.
He added that stationery and school clothing could also be distributed free of charge or at symbolic prices to low-income families.
Mohammed stressed that addressing high prices and regulating markets is not the government’s responsibility alone, but a shared duty that requires public awareness and cooperation among all stakeholders. Education, he said, is the most important investment in the future of generations and must be accessible to all without overburdening families.
Steps to prevent price manipulation
According to Mohammed, the government should take the following steps to regulate markets and prevent price manipulation:
Stricter monitoring: Increase market inspections to prevent traders from exploiting consumers.
Price ceilings: Set maximum prices for school supplies and impose strict penalties on violators.
Enhanced transparency: Establish an electronic system to track goods from supplier to consumer, preventing manipulation.
Encouraging competition: Support the entry of more traders into the market to reduce monopolies and lower prices.
Community awareness: Educate citizens about their rights and encourage them to report violations.
School bags and supplies at a shop in Damascus, September 12, 2025 (Enab Baladi)
Returning students struggle to adaptSyrian families returning from host countries after the fall of the regime face new challenges in reintegrating their children into the Syrian education system.
Differences in curricula, changes in the learning environment, psychological pressures, and language barriers have placed returning students in an educational and emotional reality entirely different from what they were accustomed to.
One of the most prominent challenges is the disparity in curricula. While these students were used to interactive, participatory teaching methods, they suddenly found themselves in a system focused on rote memorization, with heavy and dense course material.
Curricula, language, and overcrowding shock students
“I was embarrassed to answer the teacher’s questions because I couldn’t form a correct Arabic sentence, and I feared being mocked by my classmates for my poor language,” said Weam Baddi, a student preparing for the secondary school certificate.
Weam, once among the top students at her school in Turkey, said that returning to Hama and enrolling in a Syrian public school marked a difficult turning point in her academic journey.
She recalled an incident that affected her deeply when a teacher asked her to parse a word in Arabic grammar. Unable to answer, she was reprimanded in front of her classmates, which shattered her confidence and made her hesitant to participate in class afterwards.
Despite attempts by some classmates and teachers to help, Weam still feels behind compared to her peers. She says her academic decline has affected her emotionally, leaving her discouraged, especially as she faces the crucial secondary exams and fears she may not achieve the grade average she once aspired to.
Weam told Enab Baladi about the difficulties she faced from the first day, particularly the bulkiness of Syrian curricula compared to what she had studied in Turkey, especially in scientific subjects like mathematics and natural sciences.
But the biggest challenge, as she described, was the Arabic language, particularly grammar and parsing. Having studied for years in Turkish, she struggled with the basics of Arabic.
The difficulties are not limited to older students. Elementary-level children are also facing challenges.
Abdel Halim Irfan told Enab Baladi about his son, who enrolled in first grade after returning from Turkey. “He faced major difficulties with the language, while his classmates were far ahead of him, which caused him confusion and anxiety,” he said.
He added that the Syrian teaching style and overcrowded classrooms, compared to the learning environment his child was used to in Turkey, contributed to the decline in his performance.
As a result, the father applied to the school administration to have his son repeat first grade to build a stronger foundation. “We convinced him this wasn’t failure but an opportunity for a stronger start, and it required psychological effort to prevent him from feeling inferior compared to his peers,” he said.
Elementary school students in the town of Dana (northern Idlib countryside) – February 10, 2025 (Enab Baladi/Mohammad Mosto)
No plan: “It is up to the teacher’s discretion”
In the absence of a clear educational policy from the Ministry of Education to address this group, the responsibility of integration and adaptation has fallen on schools and teachers, who are trying, within their limited means, to fill the gap.
Lamia Kakhi, a teacher at a private school in Homs, said that most returning students faced linguistic and academic difficulties from the very first days.
“No directive or plan has been issued by the Ministry of Education to explain how schools should deal with this group. It is left entirely to the teacher’s discretion,” she said.
According to Lamia, private schools, despite some challenges, are better able to support returning students compared to public schools, due to smaller class sizes that allow teachers to dedicate more time to each student.
Reem al-Khatib, a first-grade teacher at a public school who taught returning students last year, agreed with Lamia, adding that many returning students struggled to interact with their peers and even to understand the local school culture.
She explained that the challenges were not only about language but also about different teaching methods, exam systems, and curricula that rely heavily on rote memorization, something unfamiliar to returning students.
Lamia suggested several necessary steps to overcome this crisis, including allocating Arabic language reinforcement classes during the school year, training teachers on how to deal with students from diverse educational and social backgrounds, and strengthening cooperation between schools and parents, with home follow-up through private lessons.
Reem, for her part, hoped that classrooms would be better organized this year and that the number of students per class would be reduced. She also proposed holding intensive summer courses for returning students, especially those preparing for exams, to strengthen them both linguistically and academically before the school year begins.
Psychological and cultural alienation
Returning students face not only difficulties with curricula or the learning environment but also psychological pressures stemming from the sudden shift from one way of life to another.
Wafaa Shaheen, a trainer of trainers in childhood and youth education, highlighted the psychological impact of returning, noting that many students suffer from a sense of psychological and cultural alienation.
“They are in their own country but do not feel a sense of belonging to the school or community because they were used to a completely different environment,” she said.
She added that some may experience social anxiety, fear of bullying, and academic discouragement due to differences in curricula and teaching methods.
“Some students may experience social anxiety, fear of bullying, and academic discouragement due to differences in curricula and teaching methods.”
Wafaa Shaheen,
trainer of trainers in childhood and youth education
Shaheen continued that students face challenges at different stages. In elementary school, homesickness and difficulty expressing emotions are common. In middle school, identity and belonging concerns emerge, with adolescents feeling different in terms of language or customs. In high school, the pressure is even greater, as students face fears about their academic future and may feel their return deprived them of better opportunities abroad.
She noted that previously high-achieving students may feel unappreciated in their new schools, which further erodes motivation, especially if no efforts are made to integrate and support them psychologically.
Shaheen believes that solutions must begin in schools, through individual and group psychological support sessions, activating the role of school counselors, enhancing cooperation with parents, training teachers to deliver interactive lessons that build life skills, and fostering respect for diversity within classrooms.
Amid all these challenges, there is an urgent need for a comprehensive integration plan, since returning students require not only academic support but also psychological, social, and educational assistance.
New directions for Syrian educationAs the new school year approaches, the Ministry of Education has unveiled a series of plans and projects aimed at improving the educational process in the face of difficult conditions characterized by damaged infrastructure, multiple curricula, and administrative and economic challenges.
On September 11, the ministry launched a project to establish school activity halls, comprehensive educational platforms designed to develop students’ personalities and skills beyond traditional classrooms. These halls aim to provide an attractive learning environment, support students with disabilities, enhance social integration, and help address issues such as shyness, introversion, and linking education to practical life, according to the ministry’s YouTube channel.
At the same time, the ministry is working to improve teachers’ academic and professional development, as well as their financial situation, through a gradual plan to unify salary scales across all provinces. On September 10, the ministry announced that around 17,000 teachers who were previously dismissed would return to their jobs after completing legal procedures by mid-September, a step it described as reclaiming national teaching expertise.
On the curriculum front, the ministry has adopted an emergency response plan to amend current curricula by removing content linked to the former regime or historical distortions, starting from the 2025–2026 school year. At the same time, strategic new curricula are being prepared according to international standards, incorporating digital skills, artificial intelligence, and critical thinking and reasoning.
To strengthen scientific research, the ministry announced the establishment of an “Educational Innovation and Research Centers” hub, aimed at attracting and supporting outstanding students and teachers, as well as organizing national scientific, cultural, and sports Olympiads in cooperation with the Ministries of Culture, Youth, and Higher Education.
The ministry is also working on developing vocational education pathways, enhancing practical training, and linking them to the labor market.
On September 12, Deputy Minister of Education Youssef Annan and Director of School Health Maysoun Dashash met with school health officials in the directorates of education to discuss implementing the national school health plan. The meeting focused on activating the health curriculum for basic education and developing its projects to ensure safe and healthy school environments that promote sound learning and protect students.
Current challenges
Despite future plans, the ministry faces several challenges:
Infrastructure: According to official statistics, Syria has around 19,400 schools, 7,900 of which are fully or partially destroyed, representing about 40% of the total and depriving hundreds of thousands of children of education.
Dropouts and returning students: Currently, around 4.2 million children are enrolled in school, while 2.4 million are out of school. An additional 1.5 million returning students are expected, creating extra pressure on the ministry to provide classroom space and integration plans.
Teachers: Syria has 253,000 teachers, including permanent staff, contractors, and hourly workers, creating varied legal statuses. The ministry, in cooperation with the Ministry of Administrative Development, is working on frameworks to regulate these cases and ensure fair legal recognition, salaries, and rights.
Multiple curricula: With five education systems and five sets of exams for middle and secondary schools inside Syria, the lack of standardization creates a major obstacle. The ministry has moved toward unified curricula and exams starting next year to ensure fairness among students.
Returning students: Those coming from countries like Turkey and Germany face language barriers. The ministry has begun setting up one school in each province, in coordination with Turkish and German authorities, to facilitate their integration into the Syrian curriculum.
Future outlook
On September 5, the Presidency issued a decree establishing the Higher Education Council, a body tasked with formulating educational policies and ensuring their alignment with societal and labor market needs. The council provides a strategic umbrella to support ministry plans and oversee their implementation.
In addition, the ministry, in cooperation with the Ministry of Administrative Development, is restructuring its administrative apparatus to simplify procedures and create a more streamlined system serving students, parents, and teachers alike. It also plans to enhance virtual education through legislative reforms, making it more effective, and to launch an open information bank that students can access to study materials and archived exam questions.
Regarding exams, the ministry intends to abandon the practice of cutting internet access during official exams and instead adopt national mechanisms that ensure integrity without disrupting services.
Educational evaluation
Educational supervisor Muthanna Khaddour told Enab Baladi that while the ministry’s plans to reform curricula and the education process carry a strategic vision, they require precise implementation mechanisms.
He stressed that teacher training should rely on educational supervision, short workshops, and model lessons, while encouraging teachers to develop themselves through technical courses and ongoing study.
Khaddour noted that extracurricular activities will play a key role in building students’ soft skills such as communication, negotiation, teamwork, and problem-solving.
As for returning students, Khaddour explained that their main challenges include language barriers for those coming from foreign countries, heavy and difficult curricula, and a rigid grading system that emphasizes memorization, with no alternative evaluation methods such as oral exams or practical projects.
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