SORKEL SHEKHO

Qamıshlo— With the start of the 2026–2027 school year in Syria, the Syrian Ministry of Education issued a decision separating male and female students in middle and secondary schools in the Rojava region, which sparked discontent in the community.

In the city of Qamıshloin Rojava, students were separated from one another in middle and secondary schools. Martyr Gabar Secondary School for Boys had previously been designated for males, but male and female students had been studying together there in recent years. After this decision, the school will again admit only male students, while female students have been transferred to other schools.

The principal of Martyr Gabar School, Hanan Bekir, said that the system of separating male and female students also existed during the Baath regime, but many changes took place under the Autonomous Administration system.

She believes that students should receive their education together and naturally, without questions forming in their minds as a result of separation: "When they are separated in the middle and secondary stages, it raises many questions in their minds. Why are they separated at these stages, and then come together again at university?"

She pointed to the positive aspects of the Autonomous Administration's experience in the education system: "Students used to receive their education together, both girls and boys, and the spirit of friendship, cooperation, and mutual support was clear among them. This experience passed without them facing serious problems, and it did not lead families to file complaints or express discontent, because it was a positive decision, and its impact on students' psychological state and level of comprehension was significant."

Regarding the Syrian Ministry of Education's decision to separate male and female students, she said: "Through the decision to separate students by gender, we are returning to the mentality and system of the Baath. This decision was met with student discontent, teacher reactions, and families' fears. If we are talking here about democracy and equality, that must also appear in the education system. But the interim government imposes its decisions on students, teachers, and society without considering their dangers, especially on the issue of education in the Kurdish language and the separation of students."

"Studies Should Be Conducted Before Decisions Are Made"

Hanan Bekir explained that the interim government, before making decisions, should conduct a comprehensive study that includes the views of students and families: "Decisions should not be imposed, but rather made on the basis of what families see as appropriate for their children. Students' families are dissatisfied with the government's decisions regarding the education system, and they are asking us to cancel these decisions."

She pointed to the education of male and female students in the scientific field, and to the positives of co-education: "Scientific subjects also explain the universe, the environment, the human body, and the differences related to the bodies of women and men. The mentality that prohibits this represents a problem, because male and female students should not feel prevented or ashamed of asking questions in front of one another."

She added: "If we look at education systems in European countries, we find that students receive their education without being separated from one another. That is why children begin at the age of five to learn how to live in society, culture, and morals. Every student has the right to understand their body and become acquainted with it. Therefore, awareness and education of children should begin inside the home, so that they can pass through the middle and secondary stages naturally."

At the end of her remarks, Hanan Bekir expressed her discontent with the decision to separate students and affirmed that "this decision must be cancelled, so that male and female students can continue their education in the school nearest to them. The Kurdish language should also become an official language in the new Syrian constitution, so that students can continue their education in their mother tongue."