Equality of Opportunity in Education and Training - Ministry of Education - Syria

In 1999-2000, the Ministry launched the process of educational renovation based on Law No.32 of 7/4/2002 which combines the primary and preparatory stages of schooling in one compulsory and free stage, and requires that all students pass a final examination in order to be eligible to the Basic Education certificate. The renovation scheme aims equally to:

a. enhance the quality aspect of school curricula;
b. adopt the First Teacher System;
c. improve education techniques;
d. pay attention to TV educational programs;
e. produce Educational Software; and,
f. implement a national strategy for Pre-university stages which introduces informatics gradually to these levels.

In summer of 2002, the Directorate of Education in Aleppo, began a process of re-integration of girls who dropped out of school. In light of Ministerial Decision No.1590 of 27/05/2002, 45 sections were created to incorporate 600 out of 2000 girls, aged between 10 and 17 years. The sections are dispersed over the villages of the governorate. The program had been first implemented in the Haska governorate, and then Aleppo, Idlib, and Rakka were added as potential fields of implementation. Up to 48 teachers were trained to teach the following subject matters: Arabic language, mathematics, sciences, and social studies. Courses were given equally on methods to reintegrate school dropouts, as well as on home economics. Girls who join the program are expected to complete it in 3 years. Those who are successful may return back to the mainstream system if their age matches the age brackets assigned by the ministry of education to the various levels of the system.

In 2003 the Ministry of Education began a process of updating school curricula to include concepts related to reproductive health and gender namely, concepts related to pregnancy, birth, maternity, family planning, sexually transmitted diseases, cousins marriages, and inherited diseases. In addition there will be reference to breastfeeding, healthy food for pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers, as well as prevention of cancer, sterility, and child care.