The conflict has severely disrupted access to education in Syria,899 with displaced children being especially affected.900 During 2025, insecurity, natural hazards, infrastructure and staffing challenges, use of schools as shelters, and limited access to essential services led to school disruptions and reduction in instructional time across multiple governorates.901 Presence of unexploded ordnance including ‘near educational facilities and along transit routes’ was reported as a concern affecting access to schools.902 Economic hardship and the inability to cover education-related expenses were also reported as barriers to school enrolment,903 resulting in many children dropping out of school to support their families.904
Following the January 2026 clashes in northeast Syria, education services in Aleppo, Raqqa, Deir Ez-Zor, and Hasaka governorates were ‘severely impacted’.905 Particularly, in Aleppo several school facilities had reportedly sustained damages.906 Following the downfall of the Assad regime, several initiatives have been launched to rehabilitate schools that were previously damaged or deemed unsuitable for educational use.907 As of May 2026, education remained severely disrupted, especially in northeast Syria, as well as in regions with high numbers of returnees and in flood‑affected areas.908
Returnee students, including IDP children and those who returned from abroad, faced additional challenges to re-entering formal education.909 In many areas, increased demand due to returns has led to capacity constraints, including overcrowding and limited services.910 Reintegration of students is hindered by damaged educational facilities,911 lack of basic supplies,912 long travel distances, and limited transport, with girls being disproportionately affected.913 Children returning from abroad face difficulties reintegrating into Syria due to language barriers, differences in curricula and culture,914 separation from communities formed during displacement, and limited connections to their families’ places of origin.915
School non-attendance among IDP returnee and refugee returnee children is mainly driven by economic hardship and lack of documentation, particularly the inability to afford school-related costs and transportation. Child labour was indicated as a reason for children’s non-school attendance by 27 % of IDP returnees and 14 % of refugee returnees surveyed by UNHCR during the first quarter of 2026.916
A shortage of educational staff was reported.917 Teachers worked under precarious conditions, often being inadequately paid.918 This resulted in high turnover rates919 or absenteeism that compromised the quality of education, which was further undermined by insecurity.920
- 899
DRC, NRC et al., Education at the Heart of Syria’s Recovery: The Role of Schools in Return, Resilience, and Social Cohesion in a Changing Syria, 22 January 2026, url, p. 3; UNHCR, Coming Home: One Year Into Syria’s Transition, 11 December 2025, url, p. 6; IPS, They Have Known Nothing but War—The Plight of Syria’s Out-of-School Children, 16 October 2025, url
- 900
UNOCHA, Syrian Arab Republic: Humanitarian needs and response plan, 2 April 2026, url, p. 38; IPS, They Have Known Nothing but War—The Plight of Syria’s Out-of-School Children, 16 October 2025, url
- 901
UNOCHA, Syrian Arab Republic: Humanitarian needs and response plan, 2 April 2026, url, p. 45
- 902
AFH, Civilian Perspectives on Humanitarian Needs and Recovery Priorities in Syria, 13 March 2026, url, p. 18
- 903
DRC, NRC et al., Education at the Heart of Syria’s Recovery: The Role of Schools in Return, Resilience, and Social Cohesion in a Changing Syria, 22 January 2026, url, p. 5; IPS, They Have Known Nothing but War—The Plight of Syria’s Out-of-School Children, 16 October 2025, url
- 904
AFH, Civilian Perspectives on Humanitarian Needs and Recovery Priorities in Syria, 13 March 2026, url, pp. 16, 22; IPS, They Have Known Nothing but War—The Plight of Syria’s Out-of-School Children, 16 October 2025, url
- 905
UNICEF, Syrian Arab Republic Humanitarian Flash Update No. 3 (Escalation of Violence in Aleppo), 23 January 2026, url, pp. 1-2
- 906
UNICEF, Syrian Arab Republic Humanitarian Flash Update No. 3 (Escalation of Violence in Aleppo), 23 January 2026, url, pp. 3, 5
- 907
IPS, They Have Known Nothing but War—The Plight of Syria’s Out-of-School Children, 16 October 2025, url
- 908
UNICEF, Syrian Arab Republic: Humanitarian Situation Report No. 1 (Reporting Period: 1 January to 31 March 2026, 8 May 2026, url, p. 3
- 909
UNOCHA, Syrian Arab Republic: Humanitarian needs and response plan, 2 April 2026, url, p. 45; Enab Baladi, From foreign schools to Darayya classrooms, returning families’ children face an education gap, 17 March 2026, url; DRC, NRC et al., Education at the Heart of Syria’s Recovery: The Role of Schools in Return, Resilience, and Social Cohesion in a Changing Syria, 22 January 2026, url, p. 3, 4
- 910
UNOCHA, Syrian Arab Republic: Humanitarian needs and response plan, 2 April 2026, url, p. 45; DRC, NRC et al., Education at the Heart of Syria’s Recovery: The Role of Schools in Return, Resilience, and Social Cohesion in a Changing Syria, 22 January 2026, url, pp. 4, 11
- 911
UNOCHA, Syrian Arab Republic: Humanitarian needs and response plan, 2 April 2026, url, p. 45; DRC, NRC et al., Education at the Heart of Syria’s Recovery: The Role of Schools in Return, Resilience, and Social Cohesion in a Changing Syria, 22 January 2026, url, p. 3
- 912
DRC, NRC et al., Education at the Heart of Syria’s Recovery: The Role of Schools in Return, Resilience, and Social Cohesion in a Changing Syria, 22 January 2026, url, p. 3
- 913
UNOCHA, Syrian Arab Republic: Humanitarian needs and response plan, 2 April 2026, url, p. 45
- 914
DK, DIS, Security Situation, Return and Documents, December 2025, url, p. 95 [international NGO]; UNHCR, Syria: Protection and Reintegration Insights. Voices of returnees and host communities across Syria (January - March 2026), 28 April 2026, url, p. 20
- 915
DK, DIS, Security Situation, Return and Documents, December 2025, url, p. 95 [international NGO]
- 916
UNHCR, Syria: Protection and Reintegration Insights. Voices of returnees and host communities across Syria (January - March 2026), 28 April 2026, url, p. 20
- 917
UNOCHA, Syrian Arab Republic: Humanitarian needs and response plan, 2 April 2026, url, p. 45; Enab Baladi, From foreign schools to Darayya classrooms, returning families’ children face an education gap, 17 March 2026, url
- 918
NRC, Beyond return: Ensuring sustainable recovery & (re)-integration in Syria, May 2025, url, p. 2
- 919
NRC, Beyond return: Ensuring sustainable recovery & (re)-integration in Syria, May 2025, url, p. 8
- 920
UNOCHA, Syrian Arab Republic: Humanitarian needs and response plan, 2 April 2026, url, p. 45