The Syriac Orthodox Church has denounced the Syrian Democratic Forces for shutting down Christian schools in northeastern Syria, insisting that they will only teach the official internationally recognized and government-approved curriculum.
Bishop Mor Maurice Amsih, head of the Syriac Orthodox Diocese of Al-Jazira and the Euphrates, said about 35 Christian schools serving students from all backgrounds — Arabs, Kurds, Assyrians, and Yazidis — will continue using the curriculum issued by Syrian Ministry of Education.
In a statement to SANA, Amsih said monthlong talks with the SDF failed after the group demanded that 20 diocesan schools adopt either its own curriculum or one used by UNICEF, neither of which is recognized by Damascus. “This is completely unacceptable,” he said.
He noted that many of the diocese’s schools, some more than a century old, rely on official Syrian certificates for middle and high school education. Replacing the accredited curriculum, he warned, would jeopardize students’ futures and the schools’ legal status.
Moreover, Amsih said SDF forces expelled students after the diocese refused to comply, halting classes and leaving only administrative work in place. Education can resume, he added, only if the official national curriculum is restored with authorization from Damascus.
He concluded that the diocese remains committed to preserving Syria’s social unity and safeguarding future generations.
Meanwhile, local reports said the SDF has closed all private schools in the region that use the Syrian government’s curriculum and continues to conduct forced recruitment campaigns targeting students, most recently in the cities of Raqqa and Tabqa.
Amer Dhawa
