Enab Baladi – Ras al-Ain
The cities of Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad have witnessed a surge in registrations for the intermediate and secondary certificate exams this academic year following the fall of the previous Syrian regime.
According to teachers interviewed by Enab Baladi, this increase indicates students’ desire to continue their education despite the challenges they face. In past years, many were denied access to university education, as it was limited to institutes, compelling some to attempt registration in other areas to continue their studies.
Eight times the usual number
The exam dates have not yet been set, but with the registration for both the intermediate and secondary certificates now open, 5,000 students have registered for the exams scheduled for this year, which is a large number compared to the last five years, where the number did not exceed 700 students for both certificates previously.
At the beginning of the registration period in mid-April, Hanan Aziz (18 years old) registered for the intermediate certificate exam with the desire to continue her education.
Previously, education was limited to the intermediate and secondary levels without official recognition from the regime’s government, which caused many to stop their studies.
Aziz told Enab Baladi that after the fall of the regime, she decided to continue her education, starting with the intermediate certificate, then transitioning to the secondary level, and eventually pursuing her university studies later.
She mentioned that most of her friends registered for the intermediate and secondary exams to pursue their education as well.
After obtaining his intermediate certificate in 2020, Marwan al-Ali from Tal Abyad stopped pursuing his education due to a lack of a clear future after finishing the intermediate level and the previous regime’s non-recognition of certificates issued in the region.
The young man considered that the regime’s fall revived his hope of continuing his studies, starting from the secondary level and then university education, especially since he was wanted by the Syrian regime for his participation in the revolution.
He pointed out that the main issue that still exists is what comes after obtaining the secondary certificate, as he does not know how he will be able to pursue his university education under the blockade imposed on the two cities by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the movement’s restrictions, and the potential risk of arrest.
Amidst the SDF’s blockade on the cities of Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain, students face difficulties in continuing their higher education, as options are limited to a few institutes affiliated with Free Aleppo University, and it is challenging for them to reach universities in other Syrian provinces.
5,000 students
The Director of Education in Tal Abyad, Abdullah Alaya, told Enab Baladi that the number of students applying for the intermediate education certificate this year reached 1,150 students, while the number of applicants for the secondary certificate reached 2,000 students, which is quite substantial compared to previous years.
Alaya explained that this surge in registrations came after the new Syrian government opened registration for both the intermediate and secondary certificates in Tal Abyad, as these are officially recognized government certificates.
He added that Tal Abyad had not registered such numbers in previous years, especially given the previous regime’s non-recognition of students’ certificates, which forced students to take difficult and perilous routes to reach regime-controlled areas to register for the exams.
He pointed out that the only problem facing students currently lies in the blockade imposed on Tal Abyad by the SDF, which may lead students to stop their university education after completing secondary school.
The head of the student union in Ras al-Ain, Mohannad al-Abdullah, stated to Enab Baladi that Ras al-Ain registered 800 students this year at the intermediate education level and 1,050 students at the secondary education level, which is a significant increase compared to the previous year, which did not exceed 400 students for both certificates.
He explained that the Education Directorate in Ras al-Ain provided all the possible facilities for students’ registration in the area to continue their education.
Moreover, he stated that the greatest burden falls on the Syrian government to provide university education for students after completing secondary school.
He indicated that if the current situation persists, the Syrian government should initiate opening university branches in Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad to ensure higher education for students in both cities.
Students were unable to benefit from the decision made by the Ministry of Higher Education in the interim government of Damascus after the fall of the Syrian regime on December 8, 2024, which at that time allowed university students to return to their studies after being away since the revolution in 2011, including those who had been expelled.
Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain are located near the Turkish border, surrounded by areas controlled by the SDF, with no official routes between them. Residents cannot access other Syrian provinces except through dangerous smuggling routes or by entering Turkey and then back into Syria, which is not a viable option.
Registration requests for certificate exams rise in Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad Enab Baladi.
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