Syria: Return to school under the rubble of war

Homs (Syria)The bells of many Syrian schools are ringing again after years of silence. caused by war, which began in March 2011. More than 4.2 million children have returned to some 12,000 schools across the country. However, 2.4 million remain outside the education system, almost half of the child population, according to UNICEF.

In the hallways, the sound of pencils and backpacks contrasts with the cracked walls and makeshift classrooms. The war left a deep mark, with a third of schools destroyed, damaged, or converted into shelters. Meanwhile, thousands of teachers work for minimal wages or even go without pay for months. Despite the rehabilitation of more than 500 schools this year, the precariousness remains a burden on every classroom. Many students are years behind; others have never set foot in a classroom. The return to school is a picture of normality, but also a reminder of the magnitude of the challenge.

Aya runs barefoot through the dusty corridors of Al-Zuhouria camp, on the outskirts of Homs. She is eleven years old, but she carries responsibilities that are not hers: she takes care of her younger siblings, cooks when she can, helps her sick mother, and yet she never misses a class. Two years ago, she barely knew how to read her name. Today, she solves basic equations and dreams of becoming a teacher.

Aya's story is no exception. It is just one portrait among millions of stories shattered by the conflict. Added to this are another million children at risk of dropping out of school due to insecurity, forced displacement, and the systematic destruction of educational infrastructure. In the camp where Aya and hundreds of other displaced children are trying to rebuild their lives, books are scarce and desks are distant memories. Most have missed years of school; some had never attended a class.

A hopeful project

The educational project run by the NGO Secours Islamique France (SIF), with support from UNICEF, marked a turning point for Aya. There, she found not only a school, but also an emotional refuge. She learned to read, to add, and to speak confidently. Her teacher, Doha Maala, who has been teaching for five years in a tent converted into an informal classroom, explains: "They arrive insecure, sad, disconnected, unable to relate or participate. Here we give them self-confidence; if they feel secure, then they can return to formal education with confidence."

Doha points out that the challenges go beyond learning to read or write. Most rural children are exposed to child labor due to their families' difficult economic conditions. That's why she and the team coordinate flexible schedules so they can continue studying. But extreme poverty has made school dropouts an unstoppable trend. With the currency plummeting and the cost of living skyrocketing, one in four children does some kind of work to support their family. Many leave school at ten or eleven; some never return.

The devastation of the education system is total. The war in Syria not only destroyed buildings but also pulverized a future generation. Twelve-year-old Mohamed has lived in three different cities, losing his home and his mother, who suffered from multiple sclerosis. His father is still missing. He stopped attending classes for two years after his previous school was bombed. Now she studies at a school in Douma, rehabilitated by UNICEF.

Her teacher, Rawan Shogri, has been in the classroom for more than three years. She earns the equivalent of $15 a month, sometimes going eight months without a salary. Like her, thousands of teachers face extreme conditions. Some have emigrated; others, desperate, have changed jobs. Yet Rawan continues to teach. "I work out of necessity, but also out of conviction. If I leave, who will take care of them?" she asks.

At her school, some of her colleagues hadn't even finished secondary school. The lack of teacher training adds to a crisis that seems to have no funding. The tragedy is not only structural, it is also emotional. More than 6.4 million children need psychosocial support. Trauma, anxiety, and grief are part of everyday life. Eight-year-old Muhannad has lived with her grandparents since her father disappeared. She cries every time she remembers him. But her school has become a safe space. "My teacher takes care of me. She made me feel important. She even chose me as a discipline monitor," she says with a shy smile. At the new school, teachers don't use physical punishment and focus on mutual respect. "I used to be afraid of the teachers. Now I like coming," she says.

In Latakia, Nadin Qadoum coordinates a tablet-supported literacy program for young people who didn't finish primary school. "Some can't write their names. Yet they come every day. They fight for their right to learn," she says.

Amid the collapse, these spaces become beacons of hope, even if they prove insufficient. But despite the creation of informal centers and temporary classrooms, the quality of education remains extremely low. Education in Syria is going through one of its darkest periods, as political instability, international pressure, and security challenges continue to devour what little remains of the educational system.