The new school year began on September 9 in the areas of Syria administered by the Autonomous Administration, with over 850,000 students enrolled, according to the Education Board. This is despite challenges faced by the administration in facilitating education for all the region’s youth, foremost being Turkish attacks.
Turkish attacks, both in the form of artillery shelling and air strikes, have left 20 schools in the region partially or completely destroyed, depriving approximately 3,000 students of education. Displacement from attacks has also led to thousands of families fleeing to other parts of Syria, overwhelming schools in other areas which have limited resources. Some families are left with the choice of either transporting their children over long distances to enroll them in school, or not enrolling them at all.
Despite these challenges, the education system in Northeast Syria is providing opportunities that were unheard of under Ba’athist rule, such as language education in Kurdish, Armenian, and Syriac for the minorities of the region, on top of Arabic and English. Beginning in the 9th grade, students are also taught about all major religions of the world. Nevertheless, it is likely that difficulties will persist so long as the war continues, with brain drain and economic embargo limiting opportunities for the region’s population.
