Syria

Before the outbreak of conflict in 2011, Syria had a relatively comprehensive public education system with comparatively high literacy rates and widespread access to basic schooling.

Education in Syria was largely administered and funded by the government through the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Public schooling at the elementary and secondary levels was free, and public higher education institutions were largely tuition-free. Rebuilding its education sector is now one of Syria’s first priorities.

The Syrian education system follows a 12-year structure, consisting of nine years of compulsory basic education followed by three years of secondary education. Basic education is divided into two cycles and begins at age six. After completing the nine-year basic cycle, students are placed in either general secondary education or technical and vocational tracks.

At the end of secondary education, students sit for the General Secondary Education Certificate Examination (Baccalaureate), a national exam that plays a key role in determining eligibility for admission to higher education institutions and fields of study.

Higher education in Syria is offered through public universities, private universities, higher institutes, and technical institutes. Before the conflict, the country had seven public universities and a growing private higher education sector established in the early 2000s. Enrollment expanded significantly in the decade preceding the war.

The conflict that began in 2011 is forcing Syria to rebuild from the ground up, and not just figuratively. Damage to infrastructure, large-scale displacement, and economic hardship have disrupted schooling for millions of students. Rebuilding institutions, addressing learning losses, and restoring educational access are now central challenges as the country seeks to rebuild its education sector.