Roshel Junior

As-Sweida_ The decision to transfer the middle and high school exams from Sweida to Damascus has sparked widespread anger in the city, amid fears for the future of thousands of students and questions about the background of the decision after two months of negotiations that yielded no reassuring results for the residents.

The city of Sweida is experiencing a state of anxiety and tension following the decision issued by the General Secretariat of the Presidency of the Syrian Republic to ban the holding of middle and high school exams within the city and to move the exam centers to Damascus and its countryside, despite previous promises by officials about the possibility of holding the exams in Sweida under the supervision of an educational delegation coming from Damascus.

Questions about the background of the decision

Teacher Jihan Al‑Awwam affirmed that the decision threatens the future of about 14,000 male and female students in the middle and high school levels, including about 13,500 high school students, in addition to about 7,000 middle school students, amid growing fears of losing another school year for the people of Sweida.

She asked: "Why was this decision issued after all these previous negotiations?" noting that the meetings between Damascus and Sweida lasted for more than two months, during which all details related to the exam process were discussed.

She added that Sweida agreed to all the conditions that were put forward, including sending educational supervision teams and couriers to transport exam questions, to enter through the Red Crescent, before residents were later surprised by the decision to transfer the exams to Damascus and its countryside.

Political dimensions behind the decision

Jihan Al‑Awwam believes that the decision carries "political dimensions" and goes beyond being an administrative measure, especially since Sweida students had already lost their last school year as a result of the July 2025 events, which led to the suspension of exams. Months after the events, they took exams administered locally by the education directorate, but they did not receive official recognition.

She pointed out that implementing the decision poses great challenges for students and their families, as transporting more than 13,500 students requires hundreds of buses that must set off at the same time to reach the exam centers on time.

She added that students from remote villages face additional difficulties, as some need more than an hour to reach the city center before heading to Damascus, in addition to the high financial costs in light of the difficult economic conditions that most families are experiencing.

Security concerns and a trust gap

Jihan Al‑Awwam affirmed that the fears are not limited to the financial aspect but also include the security aspect, given the continued sectarian rhetoric and tensions in the country, which makes many parents worried about their children if they go to other cities to take the exams.

She added that the interim government, through this decision, "sows more distrust" between Damascus and Sweida, even though the Sweida Education Directorate has long experience in managing exams for years.

She pointed out that Sweida students have suffered repeated disruptions over the past two years that have directly affected their academic future, noting that students are now living in a state of psychological confusion and anxiety as the exam date approaches, in the absence of any clear solution to the crisis.

Teacher Jihan Al‑Awwam called on the Syrian interim government to cancel the decision to transfer exam centers and allow students to take their exams inside the city, appealing to international organizations concerned with human rights and the right to education to intervene urgently to guarantee students' right to take their exams normally and safely, preserving the future of thousands of students in Sweida.