In a move aimed at supporting the return of displaced persons and enhancing their stability, Latakia Governor Muhammad Othman inaugurated three schools in Jabal al-Akrad villages after their complete restoration and rehabilitation. This opening is the result of joint efforts between the governorate, international organizations, and civil society, serving as a nucleus for the return of educational and social life to the region.
The opening included a school in the village of Farz and two others in the village of Marij, which underwent comprehensive restoration work after the damage they sustained. Governor Othman emphasized this step is only the beginning of a series of educational projects within a comprehensive plan aimed at rehabilitating the entire region and paving the way for residents to return from the camps to their villages and homes.
Cooperating Towards Building a Better Future
The Director of Education in Latakia, Walid Kaboula, explained that the next plan will include additional villages: Dourin, Marj al-Zawiya, Hamrat, Ain al-Ghazal, Duwayrka, and Tauma. To ensure the continuity of the educational process without interruption, temporary structures and caravans will be provided as classrooms until permanent restoration work is completed.
Rami al-Turkmani, coordinator of the Yam education project, highlighted the nature of the project, being implemented in cooperation with UNICEF and the Mosaic Association. He noted it aims to provide an urgent educational response to returning families. The project relies on a field needs assessment and the recruitment of teaching staff from the local community, promoting sustainability and effective integration in the area.
A Return to Life
Rabab Hashim, a returning teacher, expressed her joy at the reopening of the school, considering it a strong incentive to encourage other families to return. She also called for the need to expand the opening of middle and high schools soon to accommodate all age groups and ensure a safe educational future for the children of the region.
The reopening of these schools is a bright sign on the road to reconstruction and the restoration of life in the northern Latakia countryside. It is not merely rebuilding destroyed walls, but rather a rekindling of the flame of knowledge and hope in the hearts of children and families. The work is an affirmation that education remains the cornerstone of building societies and ensuring a better future for generations to come.
