According to a local source from rural Grî Spî, schools in the countryside suffer from an acute lack of teaching staff. Some classrooms combine students from first to sixth grade together, while others hold more than 50 pupils per class. In certain schools, only one or two teachers handle all subjects, severely impacting the students’ learning.
The so-called “Grî Spî Local Council,” which oversees education in the area, serves Turkey’s agenda by appointing teachers linked to its armed factions—often without proper qualifications—while excluding experienced local educators who worked before the 2019 occupation.
Students also lack textbooks and basic learning materials. Many school buildings have been left neglected, with no oversight or genuine educational supervision. The entire system is run by individuals with no professional background in education, affiliated with Turkey-backed militias.
Intimidation and violence against teachers have created an atmosphere of fear, silencing any voices that call for reform or expose ongoing violations. Earlier this month, a teacher named Jumaa al-Hussein, principal of al-Sabbagh School, was beaten after appearing in a video criticizing the poor state of education and urging the “local council” to address the problems
Instead of improving schools and restoring proper education, Turkey continues its systematic policy of Turkification across occupied Syrian regions. This includes imposing Turkish-style curricula, raising Turkish flags and portraits of Turkish leaders in schools, and replacing Syrian national symbols with those glorifying Turkish nationalism.
