Syrian children return to classrooms as officials order schools to reopen

Students return to classrooms in Syria as the country’s new rulers order schools to reopen in a potent sign of some normalcy a week after rebels swept into the capital in the dramatic overthrow of president Bashar al-Assad.

The country’s new de facto leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, faces a massive challenge to rebuild Syria after 13 years of civil war that killed hundreds of thousands of people. Cities were bombed to ruins, the economy was gutted by international sanctions and millions of refugees still live in camps outside Syria.

Officials say most schools were opening around the country today, the first day of the working week. However some parents were not sending their children to class due to uncertainty over the situation.

Pupils waited cheerfully in the courtyard of a boys’ high school in Damascus and applauded as the school secretary, Raed Nasser, hung the flag adopted by the new authorities.

“Everything is good. We are fully equipped. We worked two, three days in order to equip the school with the needed services for the students’ safe return to school,” Nasser says, adding the Jawdat al-Hashemi school had not been damaged.

In one classroom, a student pasted the new flag on a wall.

“I am optimistic and very happy,” says student Salah al-Din Diab. “I used to walk in the street scared that I would get drafted to military service. I used to be afraid when I reach a checkpoint.”