The end of a turbulent chapter in Syria’s history at the tail-end of 2024 marked a pivotal moment in Syria’s history, presenting both immense challenges, but also opportunities for renewal. Among the most pressing priorities in this post-conflict landscape is to reverse the stunting of education for an entire generation who have lost out on education due to more than a decade of conflict, and the restoration and rebuilding of Syria’s education system. The conflict has left schools in ruins, disrupted the lives of millions of children, and threatened the future of an entire generation. Education is not merely a sector to be rehabilitated; it is the foundation upon which the sustainability of Syria’s recovery, peace, and prosperity depend.
The Current State of Education in Syria
Syria’s education system has suffered catastrophic damage due to the conflict in Syria. According to recent reports, more than a third of schools have been destroyed or repurposed as shelters, military bases, or detention centres during the conflict and over 12,000 schools have been closed due to the conflict. Over 3.7 million Syrian children have had their education disrupted, with around 2.4 million of these out of school, while others received an education that is inadequate or heavily influenced by political ideologies. According to the most recent report in 2024, the Global Coalition to Protect Education From Attack identified over 100 attacks on schools, students and teachers, the military use of schools and the recruitment of children at, or on the way to or from, school during 2022 and 2023. It is important to emphasize that international obligations to protect and provide the right to education under human rights law continue to apply even in situations of insecurity and armed conflict. Though the form and modality of the provision of the right to education may differ depending on the extent of the insecurity or armed conflict, the core of the right to education – namely, ensuring that “the right of access to public educational institutions and programmes on a non-discriminatory basis…and to ensure free choice of education without interference from the State or third parties…” – cannot be denied and must be provided.
The prolonged absence of a safe educational environment has led to myriad problems, including high dropout rates, early marriages, child labour, and the recruitment of children by armed groups. The impact of the conflict on the right to education is devastating: a generation of children have endured potentially irreversible trauma during the most formative years of their physical, psychological, intellectual and spiritual development.
The psychological toll on students and educators alike also cannot be overstated. Children have been exposed to unimaginable trauma, from witnessing raw violence to losing parents and siblings. Teachers, many of whom fled or were displaced, face the dual burden of personal loss and the overwhelming responsibility of nurturing a fractured generation. The task of rebuilding Syria’s education system must therefore address both physical infrastructure and the emotional well-being of its participants.
The Right to Education in Post-Conflict Settings
Education is a fundamental human right, enshrined in international treaties such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 26) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Articles 28 and 29). Additionally, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Article 13) emphasizes the obligation of states to provide free and compulsory primary education and progressive access to secondary and higher education. Yet, in conflict zones like Syria, this right has often been one of the first casualties. Any post-conflict recovery must reaffirm and protect this right but requires a comprehensive and coordinated approach by all actors. Restoring education in Syria demands collaboration among the transitional Syrian government, international organizations, NGOs, and local communities. Rebuilding and comprehensive restructuring of the education system must not ignore the rights and needs of marginalized and vulnerable groups, including girls, refugees, and children with disabilities. A decentralized approach that empowers local stakeholders and ensures equitable access to resources will be critical to avoiding the re-creation of pre-conflict inequalities.
Accountability and Justice
Post-conflict accountability and justice are important in the reconstruction and rehabilitation for any society that has emerged out of protracted armed conflict. Such post-conflict and transitional justice processes must be locally informed and catered around the experiences of victims that have suffered injustices as a result of the conflict, dispossession and displacement.
In the post-conflict and transitional phase of national recovery, specialised committees and commissions comprised of Syrians will have to grapple with recognising the trauma experienced by Syrians throughout the conflict and how to deal with that using accountability and justice technologies for the crimes committed against them. Part of this will likely include consideration of victims whose right to education under domestic and international law was violated. Consequently, accountability will have to be combined with some form of reparation or restitution that attempts to bring opportunities for education or upskilling so that those who were unable to enjoy their right to education are not further disadvantaged as the country rebuilds and progresses in its development.
Transitional authorities that will be entrusted with the delicate task of delivering a peaceful transition to a permanent constitutional and legal framework and stable governance will have to design processes of accountability for historical injustices, atrocities and grave violations of the right to education and the rights of children, and provide adequate forms of restitution and restoration of rights.
Lessons from Similar Contexts
Countries that have navigated post-conflict educational recovery offer valuable lessons for Syria. For example, post-genocide Rwanda prioritized education as a cornerstone of national reconciliation and economic development. By investing in teacher training, curriculum reform, and universal access, Rwanda managed to rebuild trust and foster social cohesion.
The Peace Agreement (The Final Accords) that ended the decades-long conflict in Colombia was perhaps the most comprehensive victim-cantered peace agreement ever. After countless attempts, the Government of Colombia signed a peace agreement in November 2016 with the FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia – Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia). The agreement was unique in many respects, especially in that it provided positive obligations on post-peace agreement governments for restorative justice for those who lost out on their right to education due to the conflict. Several schemes were established to provide opportunities for returning to education and other skills and training to enhance employment opportunities. For example, Art. 1.3.2.2 of the agreement specifically pledges to make grants and stipends available to former FARC fighters, and to men and women from the nation’s poorest rural areas to attend a technical institute or university to gain skills they were deprived of attaining due to the conflict.
Each of these examples prove that education can be rebuilt.
Rebuilding Syria’s Schools: A Multi-Faceted Approach
Reconstructing physical infrastructure is an urgent first step but is insufficient in and of itself. The scale of physical destruction necessitates significant investment in building and refurbishing schools. But the conceptual rebuilding of education should leverage modern, sustainable technologies to create safe, inclusive, and resilient learning environments that nurture peace and inclusivity.
Equally important is the reform and restoration of curricula, moving away from ideological and propagandistic content that was used to create divisions and conflict. Curriculum reform for a unified and inclusive future that promotes critical thinking, tolerance, and civic responsibility. Collaboration with education experts can help ensure that new curricula meet global standards while, importantly, reflecting Syria’s cultural, religious and pluralistic heritage.
Teacher training and recruitment will also be pivotal. Many educators have left Syria or abandoned the profession due to the war. Incentivizing their return and equipping them with skills to address trauma-informed teaching will be crucial. Additionally, leveraging the skills of Syrian refugees who have gained education and training abroad can inject fresh perspectives into the system and bring much-needed expertise back to the country.
Recent Developments: A Glimmer of Hope
Schools in Damascus have already reopened, with other governorates expected to follow. In promising developments, Germany announced it was backing $62m worth of projects in Syria, around half of which will focus on education, and a consortium of international NGOs recently announced a multi-million-dollar initiative to rebuild schools in Aleppo, Homs, and Raqqa—some of the regions hardest hit by the conflict.
Such efforts are commendable and must be scaled up. The international community’s response to this announcement has been mixed, with some praising its ambition and others warning that it’s a drop in the ocean compared to the need. This highlights the urgency of galvanizing global support and fostering accountability to ensure that promises translate into tangible outcomes.
Education as a Path to Peace and Reconciliation
Perhaps the most profound impact of restoring education in Syria is its potential to serve as a vehicle for peacebuilding going forward. Schools and educational institutions can be spaces where divided communities come together, where narratives of hatred are replaced by learning about the other and mutual understanding, and where a new generation learns to envision a shared and inclusive future.
Programs that promote social-emotional learning, conflict resolution, and intercultural dialogue, fundamental rights and the rule of law, should be integrated into the curriculum. By addressing the root causes of division and fostering a culture of coexistence, education can help prevent the recurrence of violence and lay the groundwork for a stable and prosperous Syria.
Conclusion: The Road Ahead
Rebuilding the education system is not just an investment in Syria’s children but a commitment to its future. It is a task that requires States and international development partners to exhibit courage, collaboration, and dedication.
The international community, Syrian stakeholders, and every advocate of human rights must rally behind the cause of education in Syria. Together, we can contribute to transforming the ruins of war into the foundations of peace, ensuring that every Syrian child has the opportunity to learn, grow, and demonstrate to others that education is a foundational principle of building a peaceful society.
