Syrian Curriculum Changes Spark Debate: Female Figures and Historical Personalities Targeted
Changes to Syrian school textbooks, including the removal of female figures, addition of hijabs, and alteration of historical depictions, have sparked widespread controversy on social media.
A series of revisions to school textbooks in Syria has ignited widespread criticism on social media. The changes involve digitally adding hijabs and long robes to drawn female figures, deleting images of women and children, covering statues, and replacing artworks. These alterations also extend to teaching content concerning political life, citizenship, democratic participation, and media.
These modifications have reignited debates about the Ministry of Education's curriculum review standards and how well they account for Syria's social and cultural diversity. Questions have been raised about whether the amendments are merely a review of content linked to the former regime or if they aim to reshape how society is represented in school books.
Highlights
- Female figures in textbooks were digitally altered with hijabs and long robes, while some images of women were removed entirely.
- Statues and artworks were covered or replaced; the famous Mona Lisa painting was removed from textbooks.
- The depiction of Phoenician princess Elissar was altered, with her chin and neck digitally covered.
- Changes, such as dressing a pharaonic statue in a striped shirt, drew ridicule.
- History books allegedly removed prominent national and Pan-Arab figures and altered historical passages.
- 'Martyrs' executed by Ottoman governor Jamal Pasha on May 6th were reportedly portrayed as 'agents of Britain and France'.
Details
Comparisons circulated on social media reveal amendments across various grade levels, including early years and seventh grade, as well as the sixth-grade "Social Studies" textbook. This latter book, reissued for the current academic year, originally dates back to the 2012–2013 school year, with changes including the removal of material linked to the former regime, alongside lessons on local administration, political life, citizenship, the media, and democratic participation.
Visual alterations include the removal of a drawing showing a girl skipping rope with two children and the world-famous Mona Lisa painting from textbooks for early age groups. Furthermore, a painting depicting the Phoenician princess Elissar, founder of Carthage, on a hunting trip was replaced with a digitally modified portrait covering her chin and neck. Dressing a pharaonic statue in a striped shirt became a subject of widespread mockery on social media.
Changes in history books have also caused concern. The portrayal of 'martyrs' executed by Ottoman governor Jamal Pasha on May 6th as 'agents of Britain and France' has been described as a blatant falsification of history. The removal of Sultan Pasha al-Atrash's picture, replaced by Sheikh Saleh al-Ali's, and the deletion of former Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser's photograph, have raised fears of sectarian exclusion.
Why it matters
These curriculum changes raise serious questions about how the Syrian education system addresses social diversity and historical heritage. Parents argue that such cosmetic alterations do not enhance educational quality and could negatively impact children's perceptions of society and diversity. There are warnings that these changes risk deepening societal divisions and fostering intolerance. Calls are being made for international organizations concerned with children's rights to investigate the potential impact on children.