Syrian Students Return to Schools Amid Ongoing Challenges

In the southern Idlib countryside of Syria, families are returning to their villages after years of displacement due to the civil war. This return comes with significant challenges, particularly for children who are attempting to resume their education in severely damaged schools. While the local elementary school in Maar Sharamin reopened last month, the infrastructure remains inadequate and unsafe.

Safiya al-Jurok and her family fled their hometown five years ago when government forces took control from opposition groups. Following the ousting of former President Bashar Assad in December 2022, they returned to their village, only to find their home in ruins. Currently, they live in a tent beside the remnants of their destroyed house, while their three children attend classes in a school that is far from normal.

The school’s condition reflects the broader devastation in the region. The building has suffered extensive damage, with bullet holes in the walls and broken windows. Inside, students sit on thin blankets spread over cold concrete floors. “If it rains, it’ll rain on my children through the broken windows,” al-Jurok expressed, highlighting the dire lack of basic amenities, including running water.

Principal Abdullah Hallak noted that the school has lost nearly all essential facilities, including desks and windows, due to looting after residents evacuated. “Our kids are coming here where there are no seats, no boards, and no windows,” he stated, adding that many parents are keeping their children at home to avoid illness.

According to Youssef Annan, Deputy Education Minister, approximately 40% of schools across Syria remain either destroyed or unusable, particularly in rural Idlib and Hama, which experienced some of the fiercest fighting during the civil war. In Idlib alone, around 350 schools are currently out of service, with only about 10% having been rehabilitated.

The new school year began in mid-September 2023, coinciding with an emergency education plan aimed at accommodating returning students. Annan mentioned efforts to launch a remote learning program to increase educational access, although it is still in development.

Currently, around 4 million students are enrolled in schools across Syria. However, an estimated 2.5 to 3 million children remain out of school, according to Meritxell Relaño Arana, UNICEF’s representative in Syria. The obstacles to education are substantial, with many families unable to afford school materials. Al-Jurok noted, “My eldest daughter is very smart and loves to study, but we can’t buy books.” Her children assist with the family’s olive oil production after school to help make ends meet.

Hallak indicated that Maar Sharamin Elementary is currently hosting about 450 students from first to fourth grade, but with demand increasing, space is becoming increasingly limited. Teacher Bayan al-Ibrahim pointed out that many attending students have fallen behind academically due to years of displacement. “Some families had been displaced to areas where education wasn’t supported,” she explained.

Efforts by UNICEF are underway to rebuild schools, provide temporary classrooms, and train teachers, which is crucial as hundreds of thousands of refugees return to Syria. Over one million refugees have come back, according to the United Nations refugee agency.

Beyond mere infrastructure, the role of schools is vital for the psychological recovery of children traumatized by conflict. Relaño emphasized the need for safe environments where psychosocial support is available. Catch-up classes are also being offered to help reintegrate students who have missed years of education.

The conditions faced by returning families underscore the immense challenges in rebuilding not just their homes but also the future of their children through education.