Syrian Arab Republic

  • Humanitarian Response Priorities
  • From: 01/01/2026 to: 31/12/2026
  • Published: 02/04/2026
  • Coordinated by: OCHA

Syria Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2026 / Part 3: Sector Response Plan

3.3 Education

People in Need
6.5M
People Targeted
3.8M
People Prioritized
2.2M
Requirements (US$)
$337.2M
Prioritized Requirements (US$)
$200.6M
Education

Summary of needs

  • Syria’s education system remains under acute strain due to the combined impacts of protracted conflict, displacement, population movements, climatic shocks, and shifting administrative arrangements. While enrollment increased in 2025, 37 per cent of school aged children (or 2.7 million children) were not accessing education services, compared with 2.5 million children in 2024.
  • Across 2025, many governorates experienced major interruptions. According to a Joint Education Needs Assessment (JENA) carried out in 2025, 50 per cent of assessed schools reported disruptions, with students missing an average of 25.5 instructional days due to insecurity, natural hazards, teacher absence, long travel distances, lack of essential services, and continued use of schools as shelters. These interruptions occurred in several locations across the country, underscoring nationwide pressures on access and continuity.
  • Infrastructure and access constraints further undermine learning. Nearly 8,000 schools, about 30 per cent are non-functional, while many operational schools lack safe WASH, heating, electricity, or adequate space. JENA findings show that in functional schools, 17 per cent of classrooms are non-operational, 41 per cent of latrines unsafe, 46 per cent of sanitation facilities not gender segregated, and 36 per cent of schools with irregular water, including 14 per cent with no source. Hosting displaced families reduces available space and drives overcrowding and multishift arrangements.
  • In areas of return, reintegration remains difficult due to damaged facilities, long travel distances, limited transport, and differing learning levels, with girls disproportionately affected. Refugee returnees often need language bridging, documentation support, placement exams, and remedial help, while returning IDPs require accelerated or catchup learning. Capacity has not kept pace with increased demand and overcrowding and limited services contribute to dropout.
  • In Northeast Syria, the January 2026 integration agreement brought large areas under MoE oversight. Years of parallel administration left learners with documentation gaps, learning loss, misaligned curricula, and shortages of textbooks, supplies, and services, creating both opportunities and short-term system alignment needs. Learners from diverse linguistic and minority backgrounds require support such as language bridging, gradelevel catch up support, and adapted materials to participate meaningfully and sit national examinations.
  • Teacher capacity remains severely constrained. Many staff require an introductory induction, subject-specific training, inclusive teaching skills, and access to teaching materials; shortages and absenteeism linked to insecurity, low pay, and long commutes further affect quality. Protection concerns persist, EO contamination limits safe access, and climate-related shocks, including heatwaves, winter storms, floods, drought, and outbreaks, remain a leading cause of closures. Fewer than half of schools have mitigation measures, most lack protected outdoor spaces, and many do not have fuel, heating, or insulation to ensure a safe learning environment in winter.
  • Despite these challenges, education remains life-saving and life-sustaining, providing stability, psychosocial support, protection, and a platform for MRE, MHPSS, WASH, and health messaging in a context of conflict, displacement, and climate stress.

Response strategy

  • The Education Sector will expand safe, inclusive, and continuous learning by improving access to formal education and reinforcing links with non-formal pathways for out-of-school and over-age learners.
  • In total, 3.8 million people will be targeted, 96 per cent of whom are children and the remaining four per cent are teachers and education personnel. From the total targeted children, 36 per cent are displaced students, whereas 14 per cent are previously displaced students and six per cent are returnee refugee students that have returned to their home. The remaining 44 per cent are other vulnerable residents including host community children and children from minority communities. Additionally, 17 per cent of the overall target is children with a disability.
  • Access to safe learning environments will be enhanced through emergency school rehabilitation, with integrated gender-segregated WASH facilities, PSS support services, and temporary learning spaces in areas with limited access.
  • Teacher capacities will be strengthened through targeted training on the national curriculum, subject competencies, inclusive education, emergencyresponsive pedagogy, classroom management, and wellbeing/PSS, supported by the provision of teaching and learning materials. Schools will serve as entry points for integrated services, including MHPSS, GBV risk mitigation, child protection referrals, and Mine Risk Education.
  • To reach out-of-school children, partners will expand non-formal learning-remedial, catchup, and accelerated education, using standardised placement tools, competency-based progression, and exam preparation. Linkages between formal and non-formal education will be strengthened through harmonized guidelines and expanded accelerated pathways, with tailored support for returnees, displaced students, minority communities and children with a disability (CWD).
  • Assistance will combine in-kind support and CVA depending on market conditions. Localisation will be advanced by engaging additional local partners, especially in hard-to-reach areas. Coordination with WASH, Health, Protection/Mine Action, and Shelter/CCCM will enable integrated school service packages. In 2026, a priority will be strengthening contingency planning and preparedness through early-warning triggers, prepositioned supplies, and rapid EiE packages, with targeting, costing, and monitoring aligned to HPC 2026 and Education Sector methodologies.

Targeting & prioritization

  • In 2026, the Education Sector has prioritised girls and boys aged 4–17 affected by emergencies and facing significant barriers to learning. The response will expand access to safe, inclusive formal and non‑formal education, ensure continuity of learning, and provide life‑saving, school‑based services. Priority groups include displaced and returnee children, minority groups, children with disabilities, adolescent girls, vulnerable host‑community learners, and teachers affected by conflict or natural hazards.
  • Targeting follows a severity‑driven approach aligned with HPC 2026, focusing first on children living in areas with the highest education‑related needs (severity 4 and 5), with support also extended to selected severity 3 areas. Planning draws on MSNA and JENA findings, delivery capacity, and partner reach to ensure realistic targets for 2026.
  • Geographic priorities include locations with high numbers of out‑of‑school children, overstretched pupil‑teacher or pupil‑classroom ratios, and areas where children face protection risks or severe access constraints. This includes communities of return, sub‑districts hosting displaced families, and schools affected by over-crowding or multi‑shift arrangements.
  • Particular emphasis is placed on sub‑districts impacted by recent conflict, displacement and with high levels of damage or severely limited access to schools and public infrastructure. Specific emphasis is also placed on the North, East and the Southern governorates, where the number of children that are out-of-school or did not attend school in 2025 is extremely high. Within these areas, priority will be given to out‑of‑school children, returnees, children with disabilities, adolescent girls, and minority communities. Where barriers such as unsafe buildings, lack of water, or explosive hazards limit access, education activities will be planned jointly with WASH, Health, and Mine Action partners to help restore safe learning.

Promoting accountable, quality & inclusive programming

  • The response will put communities at the centre of decision-making. Children, parents, teachers and local authorities will be engaged through easyto- use feedback channels and regular consultations so they can help shape education services and raise concerns safely. Particular attention will be given to girls, children with disabilities and marginalized groups, making sure learning spaces are safe, accessible and welcoming for all students.
  • Partners and school staff will receive practical training on child protection, safeguarding and safe behaviour, and clear referral pathways will be in place for anyone needing support. The Education Sector will work in close coordination with the PSEA Network and the AAP Working Group to strengthen prevention, reporting and follow up on any concerns. Community structures, PTAs and local education authorities will also be supported to take a stronger role in preparedness and safe school planning.

Cost of response

  • Costing for the 2026 Education Sector response follows an activity‑based methodology aligned with HPC global guidance. To ensure figures reflect current market conditions, the sector updated unit costs through a partner survey capturing inflation, supply volatility and revised technical standards. Survey results were consolidated into harmonized unit costs and informed the definition of a minimum package for ECE, non‑formal education, formal learning, teacher training, preparedness, and CVA.
  • Final requirements balance urgent needs with realistic delivery capacity. Costing reflects priorities identified through the PIN and severity analysis, with resources directed toward interventions that expand access, support out‑of‑school children, and provide life‑saving services in severity 4 and 5 areas. In severity 3 locations, investments focus on improving learning environments, reducing dropout risks, and strengthening protective, inclusive spaces.
  • The approach ensures value for money by aligning inputs with needs severity, technical standards, and partner capacity, while sustaining consistency with HPC 2026 costing practices. Minimum packages were refined to respond to the most critical gaps, support continuity of learning during emergencies, and promote a cost‑efficient, equitable response across diverse operating environments.

Cluster transition

  • The Education Sector will develop a plan to support a phased, responsible transition from humanitarian response toward early recovery and system‑led service delivery in close collaboration with the Ministry of Education, development partners, and key stakeholders. Transition will be prioritised in areas where minimum conditions are met, including safe access, basic school functionality, reliable monitoring systems, and more stable financing to ensure continuity of services. Benchmark areas include school safety and functionality standards, teacher qualification alignment, restored textbook and curriculum pipelines, strengthened EMIS, and improved annual sector planning.
  • Co‑planning with development partners will help align activities, funding pathways, and sequencing to avoid gaps or duplication. Progress will be reviewed regularly using agreed indicators from the Education Sector Response and Strategy, harmonized assessment tools, partner 4Ws, and resource mapping. Adjustments will be made where conditions regress to ensure that transitions remain flexible and responsive.
  • This approach follows HPC 2026 guidance and aims to ensure that gains made through humanitarian programming are sustained as systems strengthen, enabling a gradual shift toward national ownership while safeguarding access to safe, inclusive, and continuous learning for crisis‑affected children.