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"Everything We Fought For Is Disappearing" – Students Trapped in Syria's Conflict

"Everything We Fought For Is Disappearing" – Students Trapped in Syria's Conflict

From Dagens Nyheter · () Swedish

Translated from Swedish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • High school students in southern Syria are missing their graduation exams for the second year due to conflict.
  • The conflict is between local rebel leaders and the government, which insists on central supervision of the exams.
  • Students express despair over their uncertain futures.

For the second consecutive year, high school students in southern Syria face the loss of their graduation exams, caught in the crossfire of a conflict that threatens their futures. The ongoing dispute between local rebel factions and the government has disrupted the educational process, with the latter demanding that exams be conducted under central supervision.

This situation has plunged students into despair. "I feel that my future is slipping through my hands," said student Bairut al-Qantar, articulating the profound anxiety felt by many. The inability to complete their secondary education jeopardizes their prospects for higher education and employment.

The conflict's impact extends beyond immediate academic concerns, creating a climate of uncertainty and hopelessness for a generation already grappling with years of war. The demand for central supervision clashes with the reality on the ground, leaving students in a precarious limbo.

As the conflict persists, the educational aspirations of these young Syrians hang precariously in the balance. The loss of exams represents not just a missed academic milestone but a significant barrier to their personal and professional development, highlighting the devastating human cost of ongoing hostilities.

I feel that my future is slipping through my hands.

— Bairut al-QantarA student expressing despair over missing graduation exams due to the conflict.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dagens Nyheter in Swedish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.