As of 15 December 2024, schools is Syria, including in Damascus, officially reopened.676 A rapid need assessment conducted by UNOCHA indicated that among the main reasons of children being out of school in Damascus is work, psychological distress and lack of adequate materials and sanitation.677 For detailed information on access to education see the sub-section 2.7(c).
In the capital, 5% of key respondents reported no access to primary education and 10% reported no access to secondary education, according to an IOM assessment conducted between March and April 2025.678 While a higher number of universities was functioning in cities such as Damascus, Aleppo and Latakia, these institutions were reported to rely on outdated curricula.679
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Al Jazeera, Syria’s schools reopen a week after al-Assad’s overthrow, 15 December 2024, url; Modern Diplomacy, Restoring Classrooms, Inspiring Futures in Syria, 20 February 2025, url
- 677
UNOCHA, Syrian Arab Republic, rapid need assessment, Education, 25 January 2025, url
- 678
IOM, Syrian Arab Republic — Communities of Return Index — Round 1 (15 March - 05 April 2025), url, p. 9
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WENR, Rebuilding Syria’s Education System: Navigating Challenges and Embracing Opportunities, 14 March 2025, url