Non-renovated schools in Hajin, with the Syrian government curricula

With the approach of the beginning of the new school year in various areas of north and east of Syria, the suffering of the educational reality continues, especially in the areas of Deir ez-Zor east of the country, from which the Islamic State (ISIS) militants were expelled at different periods. 

The city of Hajin, where the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) ended the rule of ISIS in late 2018, where the locals returned at the beginning of this year, still suffers the lack of necessary services in various aspects of life, while the sector education is one of the biggest problems, which people of the city suffer from, due to the great destruction of the educational facilities in the city, in addition to the widespread ignorance and illiteracy among children, who were the most affected by the Syrian war. 

The co-head of the People’s Assembly in the city of Hajin, Salah Ismail al-Salman told North-Press about the educational situation in the city and the damage that affected the educational facilities, by saying: “We are greatly suffering in the sector of education, we have 46 schools in the city of Hajin, 14 of them are completely destroyed, 2 are partially destroyed, and 20 other schools are in need of restoration and rehabilitation”.

Al-Salman added: “In the previous academic year, we had 9,384 students and 327 volunteer teachers, we expect the number of students in this academic year to rise and reach 16,000 students”, noting that the population of Hajin is more than 80,000, while people have returned from displacement for about 8 months ago.

He also criticized Deir ez-Zor Civil Council and the Global Coalition, by saying: “We haven’t received any support from them, although we have received promises from the Global Coalition to help us to renovate and rehabilitate our schools, but they haven’t kept their promises, while there are no signs nor attempts by Deir ez-Zor Civil Council to solve this significant problem”.

Al-Salman pointed out that “volunteer work is underway by specialists in education to find emergency solutions to serve the people of the city”. 

Amer al-Dakhil, a resident in Hajin and an Arabic teacher, said: “6 schools were opened and about 3,000 primary school pupils were received in the first and second grades with the efforts of the people of the area and the benevolent  during the previous academic year”. 

“The work was free of charge, and was equipped with chairs and school supplies in an urgent way”, he added.

Al-Dakhil pointed out that the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria opened an “Institute for the preparation of teachers this summer, and received a university degree holders from the region to begin the new academic year”. 

Al-Dakhil stated that: “Education has been marginalized for 9 years, as the students who attended the school last year, made up only %10 of the region’s students”, calling on organizations, institutions and foundations to provide the necessary support for the schools in Hajin. 

Al-Dakhil noted that, the city of Hajin has “a teaching staff that covers the entire area, where previously, Hajin teachers were reaching the towns of Theiban and al-Baghouz, ww had an educational center covering the area”.  

He added: “The curriculum of the Syrian regime is being adopted, with the abolition of some materials in the teaching process that took place during the last academic year, which was carried out by volunteers from the city”. 

“There are children who have become 13 years old and don’t know how to read and write”, said Muhammad Rajab al-Salem, a resident of Hajin who described the situation as tragic.  

He added: “I have seven children, the youngest of them is 9 years old, when will he learn? How will they be taught? At what stage will these children be taught?” While wishing these problems would be solved as soon as possible.