22 Schools Closed in Northeast Syria Due to Pressure on Christian Schools and Violation of Religious Education Rights
The closure of Christian schools in “Qamishli and Hasaka” has increased tensions between churches and the autonomous administration of northeast Syria, threatening freedom of religious education.
Following a recent decision by the Autonomous Administration of Northeast Syria (AANES) to close 22 Christian schools in the Qamishli, Hasaka, and other areas of northeast Syria, new tensions have emerged between local churches and the administration’s authorities. These schools have been closed due to their refusal to teach the curriculum approved by AANES and their insistence on using the Syrian government curriculum in Damascus.
Engineer “Saad Anti,” a member of the Catholic Schools Association in Syria, said in an interview with Asia News that these closures have affected schools belonging to seven Christian denominations. He described this action as “directly targeting the historic role of the church in education.”
Disagreements between the autonomous administration and Christian schools began in 2017, when the administration first attempted to impose its curriculum on Christian schools. After the schools refused to accept the new curriculum, efforts were made to close them, but following intervention by the Syriac Union Party, a temporary agreement was reached.
However, with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) taking control of the region, pressure has increased. The autonomous administration now demands that schools either follow its curriculum or close their doors.
This impasse has led to an educational crisis, forcing families to send their children to other areas or accept more limited education. Anti said that this situation has been an important factor in the emigration of Christians from the region.
Church leaders have currently requested intervention from General “Mazlum Abdi,” commander of the SDF. They have threatened that if no solution is found, they will close the schools and ring the church bells.
The autonomous administration has also demanded that schools provide free education regardless of costs, an action that Anti views as an attempt to increase pressure on the schools.
These actions, particularly in Christian-majority areas such as Qamishli and Hasaka, have raised serious concerns within Syria’s Christian community. Christian leaders view these actions as a threat to their cultural and religious identity and are seeking international support to preserve the rights of religious minorities in Syria.
In these circumstances, the international community should carefully monitor developments and support the rights of religious minorities in Syria to prevent a recurrence of such actions.
