Education in Syria

High School in Aleppo
University of Aleppo
Education in Syria
Ministry of Education
Ministry of Higher Education
Minister of Education
Minister of Higher Education
Darem al-Tabaa
Bassam Bashir Ibrahim
National education budget (2020)
Budget£S 32.59 billion
General details
Primary languagesArabic
System typeNational
Literacy (2015)
Total86.4%[1]
Male91.7%
Female81%
Enrollment
Total800 000
Primary80% (2013)[1]
Secondary78% (2012)[1]
Post secondary43%[1]

Education in the Syrian Arab Republic is given the necessary attention and care by the Syrian state, as the Constitution of Syria guarantees the right to education to every citizen, which is compulsory and free at primary level. It is free but not compulsory at the secondary level and higher education is available for a symbolic fee. the primary level includes 3 stages, 1 which include grades 1 to 6, while 2 (middle school) includes grades 7 to 9, and lastly 3 (secondary school) grades 10 to 12.[2]

Education is free and compulsory from ages 6 to 15. Arabic is the medium of instruction in the Syrian Arab Republic. English is taught from grade 1, and French or Russian is taught from grade 7 in the basic learning stage as the primary second language.[citation needed]

According to the 2007 census, 98 percent of schools in Syria were public (state run), 1.8 percent were private,[3] and 0.2 percent were United Nations Relief and Works Agency schools for children who are refugees.[4]

In 2007, there were 8 million students in the education system of Syria (4 million in basic education, 1.4 million in secondary and 2.3 million in tertiary). Given the current growth rate in the school age population, it is projected that by 2015, the education system in Syria will need to cater to an additional 1 million students in basic and secondary education.

The school system in Syria is divided into basic and secondary education levels:

  • 1st to 6th grade: Primary Education Level. From 1st to 4th grade, it’s called the First Ring (Arabic: حلقة أولى; halaka oula) while 5th & 6th grade are called Second Ring (Arabic: حلقة ثانية; halaka thania)
  • 7th to 9th grade: Pre-Secondary Education Level (Arabic: تعليم إعدادي; taelim 'edady )
  • 10th to 12th grade: Upper Secondary Education (Arabic: تعليم ثانوي; taelim thanawi), which is the equivalent of High School.

Higher Education is the responsibility of the Ministry of Higher Education.

  1. ^ a b c d "Country: Syria". UNESCO. 27 November 2016. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  2. ^ "International Education Guide – Syria". 25 March 2024.
  3. ^ "Education in Syria".
  4. ^ TIMSS Encyclopedia(2008)