The Syrian Arab Republic (aka Syria) is a country whose people live with both natural and manmade crises. The 2023 earthquake in northwest Syria and southeastern Turkey was estimated by the U.N. to have killed 8,400 Syrians and caused over $5 billion in damages. Approximately 580,000 deaths were attributed to over two decades of civil war that had displaced millions of people—either internally or fleeing to Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Europe. https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/conflict-syria
The Impact of Crises on Education
In September 2025, the NGO SARD International reported the following on the state of education in Syria:
- 2.45 million children out of school, with more than one million at risk of dropping out
- More than 7,000 schools were damaged or destroyed
- 28% of schools are failing to meet safety standards
- 38% of schools lack adequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) conditions
- Schools are described as dangerously cold in winter and “unbearably hot” during the summer months
These deficiencies not only affect learning, but being out of school means children are more vulnerable to early marriage, child labor and various forms of exploitation. Disabled children may be entirely left behind, excluded or receive unequal treatment. The impact of crises is thus not just immediate, but has long-term effects on the development of children, who in the long term are Syria itself.
https://www.sardngo.org/blog/the-state-of-education-in-syria
International Support for Educating the Children of Crises
The overall dire context of the lives of children in Syria after nearly 14 years of conflict has prompted a response whereby education is enfolded in a larger blanket of multisectoral humanitarian needs. Various international efforts have recognized these needs.
Education Cannot Wait. The approach of Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the U.N.’s global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises, encompasses the elements that undergird the work of many organizations working in Syria. ECW’s mission is holistic learning outcomes for children of crisis, “so no one is left behind.” Active in Syria since 2017, ECW focuses on safe schools, remedial classes, self-learning, mental health, psychosocial support, disability inclusion, and system sustainability and resilience. Their multiyear program has included teacher training, referrals to specialized centers for behavioral issues, monitoring attacks on schools, creating new temporary schooling spaces, providing transportation to learning sites and promoting equal participation for girls. https://www.educationcannotwait.org/our-investments/where-we-work/syria
Safe Schools Project. Following the 2023 Syrian earthquake and various regional crises, in July 2025, UNESCO Beirut trained over 600 educators and school leaders from Syria and the Arab region with what was described as a “contextualized tool”: Minimum Standards for Safe and Inclusive Schools. The standards serve as practical guidance for education systems working in emergencies, addressing school infrastructure and disaster risk reduction, as well as inclusivity, child protection and psychosocial support. The intention is to expand the approach to all governorates in Syria, and to become a “regional benchmark,” implemented in crisis-affected situations across the Arab region. https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-concludes-training-cycle-educators-syria-and-arab-region
EU Funding. In October 2025, the European Union provided almost $17 million to UNICEF for interventions in Syria that included nutrition, WASH and child protection, in addition to education. Expanded access to education for adolescent girls and disabled children, through safe learning spaces, is a component of this support.
Inclusive Education. “Children in Syria have waited far too long for stability, safety, and the chance to learn,” said UNICEF’s Representative in Syria, Meritxell Relaño Arana. Especially children most at risk, including disabled children and those who have been affected by conflict and displacement. The Government of Finland and UNICEF partnered in January 2026, through a contribution of over $3 million, to focus on inclusive education, along with child and social protection, including Explosive Ordnance Risk Education. Coordinating with Syria’s Ministry of Education and Ministry of Social Affairs, the program will address the needs of vulnerable children and their families, as well as provide support to teachers regarding inclusive education, especially for children with disabilities. https://www.unicef.org/syria/press-releases/finland-and-unicef-strengthen-inclusive-education-and-child-protection-children
Psychosocial Support. Most recently, in March 2026, UNICEF ran a five-day national Psychosocial Support (PSS) program for 1500 educational personnel. Training by 126 facilitators across 13 governorates was directed to strengthening Syria’s education system by increasing the capacity of teachers to respond to the learning and well-being needs of Syrian children who have suffered years of conflict and displacement. https://www.unicef.org/syria/stories/hands-efforts-build-more-supportive-learning-environments-every-child-syria
Education is Not Just about Schools
The crises faced by Syria and the approaches to education taking place reflect the concept that effective education is about infrastructure, but it is also about nurturing the child’s psychosocial condition and the ability to take advantage of what happens within that infrastructure.
Photo: Flickr
