By Robin Omar
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Turkish attacks against areas of Northeast Syria impacted the education process and students. Many refrained from attending schools due to fear of attacks that affected the number of attending students for the 2023-2024 school year, according to officials in the Education Board of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES).
The AANES was first formed in 2014 in the Kurdish-majority regions of Afrin, Kobani and Jazira in northern Syria following the withdrawal of the government forces. Later, it was expanded to Manbij, Tabqa, Raqqa, Hasakah and Deir ez-Zor after the SDF defeated ISIS militarily there.
The AANES has established an independent educational process in their areas. This process focuses on teaching a multi-language curriculum in Arabic, Kurdish, and Syriac, with the aim of promoting culture and enhancing the linguistic identity of local communities.
Turkey continues to use artillery and drones to target cities and towns in northeastern Syria, causing many casualties including children.
Previous incidents
On Dec. 1, 2022, the AANES issued a statement, showing the impact of the Turkish bombing on the education process which led to the closure of 243 schools located on border line areas with Turkey depriving around 21.843 students from learning.
Mazloum Hassam, an official in the Education Board of the AANES, said the education process was affected severely by the Turkish attacks and earthquake this year, leading to the complete shutdown of schools in some areas and lesser attendance by students compared to the previous year.
Last year, the Education Board accused Turkey of blowing up one of its cars designated to drive employees to work in the city of Qamishli, northeastern Syria.
Mustafa Farhan, co-chair of the Education Board, told North Press that Turkey targeted three schools in Jazira region (Hasakah Governorate, northeastern Syria) to stop the educational process and destabilize the region.
Turkish attacks in 2022 also led to the closure of eight schools in the town of Tel Tamr in the northern countryside of Hasakah.
At the end of 2022, the Education Board in Kobani in northern Syria, said the Turkish shelling and attacks not only targeted civilians but also schools and hospitals.
The Education Board stated at the time that the Turkish forces targeted and partially destroyed the school in the village of Goran in eastern countryside of Kobani, resulting in panic among the villagers and their children.
In Nov. 2022, the Teachers Union of the AANES closed schools due to the Turkish attacks to not endanger the lives of the students.
Teachers and students demanded the international community protect the region from Turkish attacks and impose a no-fly zone over the area as the Turkish shelling does not discriminate between civilians and military personnel.
Students numbers decline
According to Hassam, the number of students that attended the 2022-2023 school year in primary, middle, and high schools in Hasakah Governorate mounted to 201,440 students in 1,771 schools. However, the number decreased in the 2023-2024 school year to 189,050 students.
On Aug. 28, the Education Board of the AANES announced that the school year of 2023-2024 would start on Sep. 3 for the teachers and that student can attend a week later.