DAMASCUS: The Syrian Arab Republic’s Ministry of Education launched a broad set of reforms in 2025 aimed at restoring the education system, rehabilitating damaged schools, and modernizing examinations as part of wider efforts to stabilize learning nationwide.
The ministry prioritized rebuilding educational infrastructure, completing renovations at 1,003 schools, while another 1,015 remain under refurbishment across several provinces. Such work has enabled hundreds of thousands of students to return to classrooms.
To promote broader access to education, the ministry lifted restrictions previously imposed on students who had been barred from enrollment under the previous regime of Bashar Assad.
Affected students were reinstated and offered catch-up examinations. Registration procedures were simplified, including for students returning from abroad, to facilitate enrollment.
The ministry also launched initiatives to support inclusive education for children with disabilities.
Reforms to secondary and middle school examinations were introduced to improve transparency and administration.
Measures included publishing practice materials, opening additional examination centers, and strengthening anti-cheating controls.
National workshops were held to enhance administrative capacity, while information sessions familiarized students with exam formats.
More than 15,000 teachers dismissed previously by the Assad regime were reinstated, according to the ministry.
Efforts were also directed toward developing vocational training centers and encouraging student innovation, with the aim of aligning education more closely with labor-market needs.
As part of its digital transformation efforts, the ministry introduced an interactive textbook and a digital library containing millions of educational resources.
Training sessions and workshops were held to strengthen teaching skills and support research-based learning.
Syria expanded its participation in international education forums, including UNESCO’s General Conference in Samarkand, the WISE Summit in Doha, and the Global Education Forum in London.
Cooperation with organizations such as UNESCO, UNICEF, and GIZ was reinforced, and Syria joined the Global Partnership for Education.
The reforms follow years of disruption caused by the war and the actions of the deposed regime.
