DAMASCUS, Syria — Schools in Damascus reopened on Sunday, a week after Islamist-led rebels toppled Bashar al-Assad’s government, signaling a tentative return to normalcy in the war-torn city.
At Jawdat al-Hashemi School, also known as al-Tajhiz School, the flag of Syria’s new rulers was raised in the schoolyard to cheers from students and teachers.
Raed Nasser, the school secretary, expressed optimism about the reopening. “Everything is good. We are fully equipped,” he said. “We worked for two or three days to prepare the school for the students’ safe return. The school was not harmed, and everything is fine. Most of the students are here, and we hope the rest will return once they come back from their travels.”
Teachers at the school also expressed hope for the future. “I expect that we’ll build a better relationship with the students,” said Ruba Saleh, a teacher. “They are young, full of hope and ambition, and it’s our role to encourage them.”
Challenges ahead
The reopening of schools comes as Syria’s new rulers face the immense task of stabilizing the country after a devastating 13-year civil war that fractured the nation along sectarian and ethnic lines.
Rebuilding Syria will require a monumental effort. The war, which killed hundreds of thousands of people, has left cities in ruins, vast areas of the countryside depopulated, and the economy crippled by international sanctions. Millions of Syrians remain displaced, many of them living in refugee camps after one of the largest humanitarian crises of modern times.
The world is now watching closely to see if Syria’s new leadership can restore order, rebuild critical infrastructure, and address the humanitarian needs of its people.
