Damascus, May 24 (SANA) Educators and academics in Syria said Sunday that the qualitative salary increase for workers in the education and higher education sectors represents an important step toward improving teachers’ and faculty members’ living conditions, strengthening job stability, and raising the quality of education inside schools and universities.
Financial stability linked to classroom performance
Deputy Minister of Education Youssef Annan told SANA that the increase aims to achieve greater fairness in the distribution of financial entitlements, with priority given to classroom teachers as the cornerstone of the educational process. He said there is a direct link between teachers’ financial stability and education quality, as improved living conditions allow teachers to focus more fully on their professional mission without the pressure of seeking additional income sources — a change that will positively affect students’ academic outcomes. He said the ministry expects the increase to raise job satisfaction and motivation among education sector workers, improving commitment and productivity.
Stabilizing public universities
Dean of the Faculty of Informatics Engineering at the University of Damascus, Ammar Joukhadar, said the salary increases represent a positive step for public universities, noting that the narrowing of the gap between public and private university salaries may encourage academic talent to return to their home institutions.
He said improved salaries and stronger academic presence on campuses will raise the quality of student-faculty interaction and support the renewal of teaching staff — particularly in specializations where the average age has risen significantly in recent years.
Upgrading teaching tools
The senior physics supervisor at the Ministry of Education, Wael Awdeh, said the increase will directly contribute to developing teaching performance by giving teachers greater capacity to build their professional skills and improve their classroom methods. He noted that better financial conditions will help teachers access modern teaching aids and digital technologies, pointing out that many had previously struggled to provide basic tools to support the learning process. He stressed the importance of linking financial support to ongoing training and professional development programs, particularly in the sciences.
The increase was introduced through Presidential Decree No. 68 of 2026, with the ministries of finance, higher education, health, and education issuing implementing regulations on Saturday.
KhA
