A Review of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham’s Intended Changes to the Syrian Curriculum

IMPACT-se’s latest report uncovers informative changes in Syria’s education system following the takeover by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). The new regime has initiated textbook reforms, replacing nationalistic and Assad-era content with an increasingly Islamized framework. While the removal of Assad’s influence signals a political shift, the reforms increasingly embed religious doctrine into the curriculum, potentially altering Syria’s educational trajectory. The changes reframe history through an Islamist lens, modify references to the Ottoman Empire, and eliminate nationalistic studies entirely.

At the same time, antisemitic material remains unchanged, continuing to vilify Jews and Israel. Despite some efforts to neutralize terminology surrounding the 1973 war, the curriculum still promotes narratives that foster division and intolerance. Additionally, the removal of female figures from textbooks signals a regression in gender representation. These concerning shifts raise timely questions about the future of Syria’s education system and its adherence to international standards of peace and tolerance.

Read the full report here

SYRIAN NATIONAL IDENTITY: Reformulating School Textbooks during the Civil War
By Eldad Pardo and Maya Jacobi, IMPACT-se — July 2018Image: Syrian boys and girls sitting in a classroom raising their hands

For seven consecutive years a brutal civil war has been raging in Syria. This study of the Syrian curriculum examines the updated 2017–18
education contents in the areas controlled by the Assad regime while the civil war continues to rage. It offers a unique look at a people in the midst of a mortal crisis.

Full Report        Executive Summary

syria2001Peace and the “Other” in Syrian School Textbooks
By IMPACT-se — June 2001

Sixty-eight textbooks for grades 1–12 in various subjects, all having been part of the Syrian curriculum during the year 2000, were examined within this survey.