Damascus — Students returned to classrooms in Syria on Sunday after the country’s new authorities ordered schools to reopen, a powerful message of normalcy a week after rebels stormed the capital in the dramatic fall of President Bashar al-Assad. Ahmad al-Sharaa, the country’s new de facto leader, faces a monumental job in rebuilding Syria following a 13-year civil war that killed hundreds of thousands of people. Cities were blasted to pieces, the economy was devastated by international sanctions, and millions of refugees continue to live in camps outside Syria.

Officials said most schools were opening around the country on Sunday, which is the first day of the working week in most Arab countries. However, some parents were not sending their children to class due to uncertainty over the situation.

Pupils waited cheerfully in the courtyard of a boys’ high school in Damascus on Sunday morning and applauded as the school secretary, Raed Nasser, hung the flag adopted by the new authorities.

“Everything is good. We are fully equipped. We worked two, three days in order to equip the school with the needed services for the students’ safe return to school,” Nasser said, adding the Jawdat al-Hashemi school had not been damaged.

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Middle East
Syrian authorities reopen schools, a week after upheaval that overthrew Assad
December 15, 2024 8:13 AM
By Reuters
A teacher hoists the flag adopted by the new Syrian rulers at a school in the early morning, following an announcement of the reopening of schools by the authorities, after the ousting of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Dec. 15, 2024.
A teacher hoists the flag adopted by the new Syrian rulers at a school in the early morning, following an announcement of the reopening of schools by the authorities, after the ousting of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Dec. 15, 2024.

Damascus —
Students returned to classrooms in Syria on Sunday after the country’s new rulers ordered schools reopened in a potent sign of some normalcy a week after rebels swept into the capital in the dramatic overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad.

The country’s new de facto leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, faces a massive challenge to rebuild Syria after 13 years of civil war that killed hundreds of thousands of people. Cities were bombed to ruins, the economy was gutted by international sanctions and millions of refugees still live in camps outside Syria.

A street vendor flashes a victory sign in the Bab Touma neighborhood in the Old City of Damascus, Syria, Dec. 14, 2024.
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Officials said most schools were opening around the country on Sunday, which is the first day of the working week in most Arab countries. However, some parents were not sending their children to class due to uncertainty over the situation.

Pupils waited cheerfully in the courtyard of a boys’ high school in Damascus on Sunday morning and applauded as the school secretary, Raed Nasser, hung the flag adopted by the new authorities.

“Everything is good. We are fully equipped. We worked two, three days in order to equip the school with the needed services for the students’ safe return to school,” Nasser said, adding the Jawdat al-Hashemi school had not been damaged.

Students sit in a classroom at a school in the early morning following an announcement of the reopening of schools by the authorities, in Damascus, Dec. 15, 2024.
Students sit in a classroom at a school in the early morning following an announcement of the reopening of schools by the authorities, in Damascus, Dec. 15, 2024.
In one classroom, a student pasted the new flag on a wall.

“I am optimistic and very happy,” said student Salah al-Din Diab. “I used to walk in the street scared that I would get drafted to military service. I used to be afraid when I reach a checkpoint.”

As Syria starts trying to rebuild, its neighbors and other foreign powers are still working out a new stance on the country, a week after the collapse of the Assad government that was backed by Iran and Russia.

Ending sanctions?

Sharaa – better known by his rebel nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani – leads the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, the Islamist group that swept Assad from power last week. HTS is a group formerly allied with al-Qaida that is designated a terrorist organization by many governments and is under United Nations sanctions.

Geir Pedersen, the United Nations’ Syria envoy, said on Sunday that he hoped the sanctions will be lifted soon to boost economic recovery. “We will hopefully see a quick end to sanctions so that we can see really rallying around building up Syria,” Pedersen said upon arriving in Damascus to meet with Syria’s caretaker government and other authorities. Top diplomats from the United States, Turkey, the European Union, and Arab states gathered in Jordan on Saturday and agreed that a new Syrian administration should safeguard minority rights. Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, remarked.