Damascus, SANA-School libraries are an essential component of the Ministry of Education’s educational system, as they contribute to the development and support of school programs while fostering a generation with a passion for exploration and knowledge.
The central library at the Ministry of Education, which houses over 50,000 books across various subjects, serves as an important educational and cultural environment. It provides a diverse range of resources to school libraries, encouraging students to read and improving their academic performance.
Speaking about the role and significance of school libraries, Nour al-Qadi, head of the Library Department at the Ministry of Education, told SANA that these libraries serve as pillars of knowledge and reading promotion. Their purpose includes utilizing students’ free time, collecting reading materials, and supplying schools with books while overseeing cultural activities to cultivate reading habits among students.
Al-Qadi highlighted that school libraries contain books related to the academic curriculum, systematically categorized and made available for borrowing, ensuring easy access for students.
As part of efforts to modernize school libraries, she noted that the ministry is currently working on automating the Educational Documentation Library to preserve cultural heritage, facilitate book retrieval, and organize lending processes. This initiative aims to enhance open-access practices within educational institutions.
The ministry, according to al-Qadi, seeks to invest in and develop school libraries to ensure equitable and high-quality education. Library divisions across all provinces oversee various school levels, addressing sector challenges such as the lack of specialized librarians and inadequate policies supporting library collection development—factors that negatively impact overall library performance.
She emphasized that strengthening and properly utilizing school libraries will contribute to achieving quality and inclusive education while reinforcing reading and knowledge as fundamental pillars of societal progress.
Founded in 1950, the central library at the Ministry of Education serves as the institution’s living archive, encompassing general knowledge and providing services to graduate students in universities.
Reem Abdulhameed /Ruaa al-Jazaeri
