Turkey Seeks Wider Turkish-Language Education Across Syria
At a Glance
- Turkish Ambassador to Syria Nuh Yilmaz has called for Turkish-language classes in northern Syria to continue and for Turkish to be offered as an elective subject nationwide.
- Yilmaz discussed the proposal with Syrian Education Minister Muhammed Abdurrahman Turko in Damascus.
- Turkey is also preparing to open the International Recep Tayyip Erdogan Turkish School in Damascus under the Turkish Embassy's educational structure.
- The two sides said they agreed to further develop educational cooperation between Turkey and Syria.
Turkey is seeking to expand Turkish-language education in Syria, with its ambassador in Damascus calling for Turkish classes in northern Syria to continue and for Turkish to be introduced as an elective subject across the country.
Turkish Ambassador Nuh Yilmaz raised the issue during a meeting with Syrian Education Minister Muhammed Abdurrahman Turko in Damascus, where the two sides also discussed broader educational cooperation.
Key Statements
“We highlighted the importance of continuing Turkish-language classes in northern Syria and teaching Turkish as an elective subject across Syria.”
— Nuh Yilmaz, Turkish Ambassador to Syria.
“We agreed to further develop our cooperation in the field of education.”
— Nuh Yilmaz, following his meeting with Syrian Education Minister Muhammed Abdurrahman Turko.
Nationwide elective proposal: Turkey is seeking the introduction of Turkish as an elective subject beyond northern Syria and across the country's education system.
Northern Syria: Yilmaz also called for existing Turkish-language classes in northern Syria to continue.
Damascus school: Turkey is preparing to open the International Recep Tayyip Erdogan Turkish School in Damascus. Earlier Turkish Education Ministry discussions identified international Turkish schools in Damascus and Aleppo as part of expanded education cooperation with Syria.
Bilateral cooperation: The Damascus meeting covered education cooperation and coordination, including technical and vocational education, according to Syria's state news agency.
Turkey is seeking a wider role for Turkish-language education in Syria as Ankara and Damascus expand cooperation in the education sector.
Turkish Ambassador to Syria Nuh Yilmaz said he discussed the continuation of Turkish-language classes in northern Syria with Syrian Education Minister Muhammed Abdurrahman Turko. He also emphasized the importance of offering Turkish as an elective subject across Syria.
Yilmaz also briefed the Syrian side on plans for the International Recep Tayyip Erdogan Turkish School in Damascus, which is being established under the Turkish Embassy's educational structure. The school project has been under preparation for several months, with Turkey's Education Ministry previously identifying Damascus and Aleppo as locations for international Turkish schools.
The Damascus school is expected to cover multiple education levels. Turkish reporting in August said preparations were being conducted through the Turkish Embassy's Education Counsellor's Office, while registration and student-placement procedures had already begun.
The latest meeting also addressed broader educational coordination. Syria's Education Ministry said the discussions included strengthening cooperation in technical and vocational education and benefiting from Turkey's experience in those fields.
The Turkish-language proposal comes as the role of Turkish education in northern Syria continues to evolve. Turkish-language classes have operated in areas of northern Syria where Turkey has maintained a significant political, security and institutional presence, while Ankara has also supported education and school-rehabilitation projects in the country.
The latest proposal, however, goes beyond northern Syria by seeking elective Turkish-language education nationwide. Whether and how the Syrian education authorities implement that proposal was not specified in the Turkish ambassador's announcement.
| Issue | Details |
|---|---|
| Turkish proposal | Continue Turkish classes in northern Syria |
| Nationwide proposal | Offer Turkish as an elective subject across Syria |
| Turkish ambassador | Nuh Yilmaz |
| Syrian education minister | Muhammed Abdurrahman Turko |
| New school | International Recep Tayyip Erdogan Turkish School |
| Location | Damascus |
| Institutional link | Turkish Embassy's educational structure |
| Broader cooperation | Educational, technical and vocational cooperation |
| Current status | School preparations underway; nationwide elective proposal discussed |
FYI
The education initiative forms part of a broader expansion of Turkey-Syria institutional cooperation following the political changes in Syria. Turkey's Education Ministry has already discussed international Turkish schools, school rehabilitation and other education programs with Syrian officials, while the latest ambassadorial meeting places Turkish-language education directly within the bilateral agenda.
The distinction between continuing Turkish instruction in northern Syria and introducing Turkish as an elective nationwide is significant. The former concerns existing education arrangements in parts of northern Syria, while the latter would represent a broader change in Syria's education offerings if adopted by Syrian authorities. The available statements confirm that Turkey raised the proposal, but do not indicate that a nationwide Turkish-language program has already been approved.
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