Idlib Reopens 50 Rehabilitated Schools Under the "Wafa li-Idlib" Campaign

Idlib Governorate marked the reopening of fifty schools across its districts on Saturday, following the completion of comprehensive rehabilitation and restoration works carried out under the "Wafa li-Idlib" campaign, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). The initiative is part of ongoing efforts to improve the educational environment and prepare schools ahead of the new academic year.

Ceremony Launched in Kafrnabel

The central event was held at Dhi Qar Secondary School in the city of Kafrnabel, where attendees toured the fully restored facilities. Rehabilitation works at the school included the construction of more than 800 square meters across two floors, comprising 21 classrooms, two administrative rooms, and a laboratory. Works also covered the installation of doors and windows, painting, courtyard and garden rehabilitation, the planting of 85 trees, and the restoration of the school perimeter and exterior facade.

Ahmad al-Halabi, director of the "Rahma Around the World" foundation in the United States, noted that Dhi Qar Secondary School carries a history spanning sixty years and had remained out of service for an extended period, affirming his organization's commitment to supporting its return to operation.

Official Attendance and Community Participation

The event was attended by Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management Raed al-Saleh and Idlib Governor Mohammad Abdul Rahman, alongside representatives of the Directorate of Education, supporting organizations, teachers, students, and local residents. At a press conference following the ceremony, officials underscored the project's significance in supporting the educational process and rebuilding school infrastructure, and reaffirmed their commitment to developing essential services and consolidating stability across the governorate.

Residents of Kafrnabel expressed the importance of this milestone after years of displacement and instability, recalling the historic standing that Dhi Qar Secondary School holds for the local community.

Education as a Foundation for Stability and Return

The Director of Education in Idlib emphasized that reopening schools is a central factor in stabilizing residents within their towns and villages, and in encouraging displaced families to return from camps to their communities with dignity. He noted that local civil society has actively engaged in supporting school rehabilitation and reopening efforts.

The "Wafa li-Idlib" Campaign and Broader Context

This event falls within the "Wafa li-Idlib" campaign, which was launched in September with broad official and public participation to raise donations for rebuilding damaged infrastructure and facilities across the governorate. The campaign has documented the scale of damage in Idlib, which includes:

• More than 250,000 damaged homes
• Approximately 800 schools requiring restoration or rehabilitation
• 437 damaged mosques
• Over one million displaced persons living in more than one thousand camps

Relevant authorities continue their efforts to rehabilitate damaged schools and provide a safe, conducive learning environment across all areas of the governorate, with the stated goal of ensuring no school remains in need of restoration by the end of the current year.