Syria
Abdulumoneim Abdulhafez, the higher education minister of Syria’s transitional government, in an interview with Rudaw on January 7, 2024. Photo: screengrab/Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The higher education minister of Syria’s transitional government on Tuesday expressed openness towards expanding Kurdish studies in universities and stressed the importance of inclusivity in building the country’s education system.
Abdulumoneim Abdulhafez told Rudaw that if assessments by scientific councils conclude that the establishment of additional Kurdish studies departments is necessary “we welcome that.”
"Syria includes several components, and all these components have a role in building modern Syria," said Abdulmoneim Abdulhafez, Syria’s higher education minister, emphasizing the need for inclusivity in education.
After a coalition led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) overthrew Bashar al-Assad’s regime, they formed a transitional government headed by Ahmad al-Sharaa, better known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, who has repeatedly stated that the rights of all components will be protected under the new government.
Successive Syrian regimes categorically denied Kurdish cultural and political rights and suppressed any movements that strived to promote them. Groups who wanted to teach the Kurdish language had to do so in secret for decades. When the Syrian uprising began in 2011, the Kurdish population, primarily controlling the northeastern regions of Syria, was able to establish a degree of autonomy and provide Kurdish education from first grade until graduation from university.
When asked about cooperation with the Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria, the minister noted that no discussions have taken place.
According to Abdulhafez, the curriculum review process will focus on revising content to align with international standards while removing remnants of the former regime’s ideological influence.
The transitional government has also begun addressing the fractured education system created during the conflict. Universities previously under the rebels operated under different academic systems.
Since the onset of the Syrian civil war in 2011, the country's education system has faced severe disruptions. Over a decade of conflict has led to the displacement of millions, the destruction of educational infrastructure, and significant barriers to accessing education. According to United Nations figures, millions of Syrian children were not attending school due to the civil war lasting over a decade.
"God willing, in the next academic year, we will unify the study method and unify matters for all universities that will be under one study system," Abdulhafez explained.
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