SORGUL ŞÊXO

Qamishlo – According to data from the North and East Syria Regional Education and Training Board, the 2024-2025 academic year was successfully completed with the participation of 713,552 students and 35,013 teachers in 3,647 schools. According to the board's current statistics, 386 new schools were added to the system this year. This brings the number of schools that will accept students for the 2025-2026 academic year to 4,033.

Semira Hec Elî, Co-Chair of the Education and Training Committee for the North and East Syria Region, assessed preparations for the new academic year, developments following the collapse of the Baath regime, and the situation of students studying in branches affiliated with the Damascus government. Semira Hec Elî stated that the successes, challenges, and shortcomings encountered in the 2024-2025 academic year were analyzed and that discussions were ongoing on how to address these issues in the 2025-2026 period.

Branches and departments were updated and improved

Semira Hec Elî stated that the necessary improvements were being made in line with global innovations, saying, "Four articles were amended and developed in 2024, and four articles were amended this year. These will come into effect with the new year. One year remains in our strategy, and the remaining articles will be amended during this period. Thus, by amending four articles each year, all branches will be amended within three years."

"Our goal is to introduce a new system to vocational high schools."

Regarding the branch change method, Semira Hec Elî explained the working mechanism: "The branch change was made through a joint evaluation and consultation involving students, families, and teachers, and their opinions were taken into account. We consider student activities important, and therefore, we prepare the branches according to their evaluation level. Students become the most active individuals; they can teach, research, discuss in class, ask questions to their families, and share these with their peers. Because knowledge flows freely, we see our teachers constantly improving themselves in their education. One of the education department's most important strategies is to introduce a new system to vocational high schools."

 

Ruined and partially ruined schools are being renovated

Semira Hec Elî, noting that many schools are in ruined or partially ruined conditions, believes it is important to prepare the school infrastructure to accommodate students. Semira Hec Elî also commented on the solutions, saying, "School renovations are being carried out using the general budget provided by the Autonomous Administration. School needs, from fuel to stationery, are also being met. Teachers also opened their schools to students on September 14th, along with planning the first lesson and other preparations."

Books will be delivered to all students in the cantons

Semira Hec Elî reminded them that they are focusing on printing books to make them available to students in the new year. She stated that a large number of books have been printed and some are in the printing process.

Student numbers are increasing

According to the 2024-2025 academic year balance sheet of the North and East Syria Region Education and Training Board, 713,552 students and 35,013 teachers are studying in 3,647 schools. Semira Hec Elî emphasized the changes that will occur in the number of students, schools, and teachers this year. According to the board's monitoring and student records, Semira Hec Elî stated that this year's enrollment is quite high, and that the number of students will increase from 713,552. Semira Hec Elî explained that the increase in student numbers is due to the increase in first-year enrollment and the registration of students studying in the Autonomous Administration's new branches.

What will happen to students who study Baath regime materials?

When asked, "What will happen to students who were studying in areas previously under its control after the overthrow of the Baath regime?", Samira Hec Elî replied, "All students who were away from Autonomous Administration schools are now attending Autonomous Administration schools." Semira Hec Elî emphasized that all these students will continue their education in Autonomous Administration schools, using Autonomous Administration materials.

The Situation of Refugees from Afrin and Shehba

Recalling the refugees from Afrin and Shehba who moved to the Tabqa, Raqqa, Euphrates, and Cizthe displaced students, Semira Hec Elî said, "Among the students in the Cizir and Euphrates cantons, many were able to continue their education. The displaced students continued their education to avoid falling behind in their studies."

Solutions for Refugees and Students

Samira Hec Elî, a member of the Autonomous Administration's Education and Training Board, made statements regarding the efforts underway to resettle refugees and ensure students' right to education.

Samira stated that efforts to find places for refugees in Tabqa and Raqqa are ongoing, saying: "We have various plans to evacuate schools and allow students from Afrin, Shehba, and Tabqa to continue their education. As a solution, we aim to create new spaces in school courtyards, build additional buildings with three classrooms, and evacuate some schools to prevent students from being left without education. These plans are expected to be implemented in 2025-2026. However, the efforts conducted this year were insufficient in terms of assessing and informing students. Therefore, we will make even more intense efforts next year to ensure that students fully enjoy their right to education."

The Status of Destroyed Schools

Addressing the situation of schools destroyed or damaged as a result of attacks by ISIS and the Turkish state, Samira said: "Many schools in the Til Temir and Zirgan cantons of Cizre, as well as in the Euphrates Canton (Kobanê), were severely damaged. We are working on schools that can be repaired. Completely destroyed schools can be rebuilt, depending on budget constraints, with one to two schools per canton."

Samira emphasized that even during the most severe attacks, schools were not closed and students' education was not interrupted. She said, "Our efforts to create a healthy educational environment for students are always ongoing."

"Our Committee is Ready for Discussions"

Samira Hec Elî also provided information about the talks between the Autonomous Administration's Education and Training Board and the HTS-affiliated Ministry of Education: "Discussions were held based on the 9th-grade and high school exam mechanism for the Damascus branches and were successfully concluded. The discussions covered various topics, including exams. The Education Committee is ready to discuss the future of students in North and East Syria, as well as in Syria in general."

"The Process is Sensitive; We Must Handle It Together"

Samira appealed to the public, emphasizing the sensitivity of the process: "We must handle this process together and embrace it. The identity of children and students is shaped through education. Identity reveals a person's existence. Therefore, this process is very important and must be embraced."

At the end of her speech, Samira Hec Elî wished students, teachers, and all employees of the North and East Syria Education Boards a healthy academic year.