Syria’s new school books spark row over women, history and faith
Changes to Syria’s official school books have sparked a public row, after parents and teachers spotted pictures and lessons removed or redrawn for the new school year. The books for 2026–2027 are already in classrooms.
The row began when Syrian journalist Mohammad Salloum posted side-by-side comparisons of old and new editions. Fact-checkers confirmed the changes against the official versions. The Mona Lisa was taken out of a seventh-grade history book, and images of statues from Syria’s ancient civilisations were removed from a third-grade social studies book.
Other edits changed how women and girls are shown. An illustration of girls at a computer was redrawn to show them wearing hijabs, and dancing pictures were removed from a sixth-grade book. Whole lessons also disappeared: the sixth-grade social studies book no longer has units on local government, political life, citizenship, the media or taking part in democracy.
A separate study added to the debate. On 19 October, IMPACT-se, a group that reviews school books against UNESCO standards, published a review of 130 Syrian textbooks for grades 1 to 12. It said the books had moved from the old pan-Arab nationalist outlook to an Islamist one, with less space for women and minority groups, and with evolution and the Big Bang cut back or removed. It also said the Great Arab Revolt of 1916–1918 is now called a rebellion, and Syrians executed by the Ottomans in 1916 are now described as agents and conspirators, not martyrs.
The education ministry says the changes were about removing symbols of the fallen regime. In a statement on 26 October, it said the edits removed “symbols of the defunct regime and its ideological content”. Education Minister Mohammad Abdul Rahman Turko told parliament on 14 September that this was part of unifying the curriculum across all provinces.
Why it matters
The row goes beyond textbooks. Syria is rebuilding after 13 years of civil war and the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Critics say the books should teach critical thinking and respect for diversity. The European Commission has said it will keep raising the issue with Syria’s transitional authorities.
What happens next
The books are already in use, and the ministry has defended the changes. The debate is likely to continue in parliament and in public.
This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.
Sources
- https://www.europesays.com/3337609/ (AFP, via Europe Says, 28 October 2026)
- https://syrianobserver.com/society/controversy-deepens-over-syrian-curriculum-revisions-womens-imagery-the-arts-and-citizenship-lessons-removed.html (The Syrian Observer, 26 October 2026)
- https://brusselssignal.eu/2026/10/eu-says-it-will-raise-concerns-over-syrian-schoolbooks-glorifying-jihad-and-anti-semitism/ (Brussels Signal, October 2026)
