Changes to Syrian school textbooks have prompted intense debate over how history, women and cultural diversity should be represented in education. Images and illustrations were reportedly edited or removed, while lessons covering citizenship, political life and democratic participation also became part of the controversy.
The dispute has spread across social media, with parents and activists questioning whether the revisions amount to routine curriculum adjustments or reflect a broader attempt to reshape Syria’s social and historical narrative. Syria’s Ministry of Education has rejected reports that new changes were approved for the current academic year.
What changes have been reported in Syrian textbooks?
Comparisons shared online focus on textbooks used in several age groups, including early-years materials, seventh-grade books and a sixth-grade social studies textbook. The material reportedly originated from earlier editions, including one first issued during the 2012–2013 school year.
According to the circulated comparisons, changes have included:
- Adding headscarves or long clothing to some illustrated female characters.
- Removing photographs of women and children.
- Covering or replacing statues, sculptures and artworks.
- Deleting or altering material linked to the former Syrian regime.
- Revising lessons about citizenship, local administration, media and political participation.
One of the most discussed examples involved the removal of an image of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa from an early-years textbook. Other disputed changes reportedly affected illustrations of children, historical figures and public life.
Historical figures and national symbols at the centre of the dispute
The controversy has extended beyond visual presentation to the treatment of historical figures and events. Critics have highlighted reported changes involving Elissar, the Phoenician founder associated with Carthage, including the replacement or digital alteration of an image depicting her.
Other examples cited in public discussions include the removal of an image of Sultan Pasha al-Atrash, the replacement of historical material involving Sheikh Saleh al-Ali, and the deletion of a photograph of former Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser.
Critics have also raised concerns about maps and descriptions of Syria’s history. They say one map omitted Iskenderun and the occupied Syrian Golan, while a passage concerning Syrian women’s role in resistance to the French Mandate was reportedly removed.
These claims have generated accusations of historical distortion and selective representation. However, the material circulating online does not by itself establish the existence of a single, coordinated policy. A full assessment would require access to the official curriculum standards, complete textbook editions and the ministry’s review process.
Why the images have provoked such strong reactions
For many critics, the issue is not simply whether an illustration has been edited. They argue that repeated changes to the depiction of women, artworks and historical figures could influence how children understand Syrian society and its cultural diversity.
Parents interviewed by Euronews questioned the educational value of modifying established images instead of replacing them with new illustrations designed for the textbooks. They also warned that presenting one model of appearance or social identity could marginalise the variety of lifestyles and traditions found in Syria.
Some online users focused on apparent inconsistencies. A frequently shared example reportedly shows a female doctor wearing a headscarf in one illustration and appearing without one in another. The contrast fuelled criticism that the revisions lacked a consistent editorial or artistic standard.
The dispute therefore involves two separate questions:
- Whether removing symbols and material associated with the former regime is a legitimate curriculum review.
- Whether altering artworks, historical depictions and lessons on civic life introduces a narrower ideological perspective.
What Syria’s Ministry of Education says
Syria’s Ministry of Education said in an official statement that reports circulating on social media were inaccurate. The ministry stated that no new changes had been approved for the curricula in force during the current academic year.
According to the ministry, changes made after the fall of the former regime were limited to an amendment announced and detailed in January 2025. The stated purpose was to remove symbols and ideological content associated with the previous authorities and correct related images and material, particularly in social studies and Islamic education courses after their merger and unification.
The ministry said its curriculum plans are intended to support citizenship, respect for others, the rule of law and social belonging. It also said a national curriculum framework had been completed, using standards intended to place learners at the centre of education and develop critical thinking, analysis, creative problem-solving, life skills and digital skills.
What happens next?
The central issue is likely to be resolved only through greater transparency. Publishing the relevant curriculum framework, explaining the review criteria and making complete textbook editions available would allow parents, teachers and independent education specialists to distinguish confirmed changes from social-media claims.
For Syria’s education system, the debate carries significance beyond textbook design. Decisions about historical figures, maps, art and civic education can affect how children understand identity, pluralism and citizenship. Any future revisions will therefore face scrutiny over both their educational purpose and their treatment of the country’s diverse cultural heritage.
Conclusion
The Syrian textbook controversy remains contested: critics describe a troubling reshaping of history and social representation, while the Ministry of Education says the reports are inaccurate and that its confirmed revisions remove former-regime symbolism while supporting diversity. The clearest takeaway is that official publication of curriculum standards and full evidence about the changes will be essential before firm conclusions can be drawn.