Syria and Britain Discuss Enhancing Joint Educational Cooperation

Syrian Minister of Education, Mohammad Abdul Rahman Turko, met today, Wednesday, with the British Special Envoy to Syria, Ann Snow, to discuss ways to strengthen educational cooperation between the two countries, aiming to develop the educational system and expand learning opportunities.

During the meeting held at the ministry building in Damascus, both sides emphasized the importance of uniting efforts to support the right to education as a fundamental right, stressing the role of education as a tool for communication and building a sustainable future for Syrian children.

Minister Turko pointed out that the Syrian government considers education a key to development, noting the initiation of setting standards to develop curricula in cooperation with several ministries, with a focus on enhancing English language education. He also highlighted the importance of the school activity halls project, which seeks to diversify teaching methods and provide a comprehensive educational environment that includes intellectual well-being and physical health for students.

The minister reviewed the challenges facing the ministry in providing a suitable educational environment, especially the significant damage inflicted on schools due to previous conflicts. He noted that the ministry has completed the restoration of 680 schools and is still working on repairing 720 schools out of approximately 8,000 damaged schools across Syria.

For her part, British envoy Ann Snow emphasized the importance of enhancing cooperation in the educational field and developing school activity halls to ensure inclusive education for Syrian children. She stressed the need to enable children to access education in a safe and appropriate environment.

The meeting comes as part of the Ministry of Education’s efforts to strengthen international partnerships to develop the educational system and guarantee every Syrian child’s right to education.