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The Turkish Ministry of National Education signed a joint cooperation protocol with the Syrian Ministry of Education in Damascus on Thursday, marking a significant step toward restoring educational ties between the two countries.
Syria’s Deputy Minister of Education Yusuf Anan and Türkiye’s Deputy Minister of National Education Celile Oktan officially signed the cooperation protocol.
According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the agreement includes plans to rehabilitate war-damaged schools across Syria, expand educational opportunities for Syrian youth, and strengthen cultural and academic relations.
Among its key provisions is the facilitation of licensing procedures for Turkish international and private schools in Syria, in accordance with Syrian laws. This move aims to support both Turkish and Syrian citizens residing in Syrian territory.
Syria will provide the necessary support to issue work and residency permits for Turkish school staff and their families who will be working in Syria.
In return, Türkiye will organize professional development programs for Syrian teachers and provide technical assistance for exam administration and evaluation procedures, based on Syria’s requests.
Türkiye will also assist in rehabilitating or rebuilding damaged schools across Syria and provide essential infrastructure and educational materials, including desks, tables, blackboards, and heaters—prioritizing the most urgent needs identified by the Syrian Ministry of Education.
As part of the agreement, both sides will collaborate on equipping vocational education institutions and establishing practical workshops and production training centers based on the “profession inside the school” model.
The protocol also includes cooperation in modernizing Syria’s educational curricula and developing new learning materials. Both countries agreed to remove content deemed offensive to either nation, remnants of the previous regime era. Türkiye will provide technical support to aid Syria’s educational reform efforts.
Türkiye will organize comprehensive training programs for Syrian teachers, focusing on professional development and addressing shortages in specialized educators, based on Syria’s needs.
According to the protocol, the Syrian side will facilitate work and residency visas for Turkish administrators and teachers assigned to Turkish schools operating in Syria, as well as for their dependents.
As outlined in the protocol, Türkiye will provide technical assistance for school examinations and systems of assessment and evaluation upon Syria’s request. Both countries commit to developing joint initiatives to enhance access to special education and to improve psychological counseling and social support services. This includes training specialists and developing relevant educational materials.
The two sides agreed to facilitate mutual recognition of academic certificates and other educational documents issued under this cooperation. A joint education task force will be established to meet regularly and oversee the implementation of the protocol.
Both parties will work to finalize and facilitate the signing of a formal education cooperation agreement between the Republic of Türkiye and the Syrian Arab Republic as soon as possible.
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