Written question asked by Baroness Helic (Conservative) on Tuesday, 21 July 2026, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 4 August 2026. It was answered by Lord Wood of Anfield (Labour) on Friday, 31 July 2026 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Syria: Education and Reconstruction

Question: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to make future UK assistance for education and reconstruction in Syria contingent upon demonstrable progress towards a national curriculum that promotes pluralism, respect for religious and ethnic minorities, gender equality, peace education and inclusive citizenship, to support an inclusive and stable political transition in Syria.

Answer: Supporting the rights of women and minority groups in Syria is a UK priority which we promote through our humanitarian work and via our support to the education sector. The UK's 'Syria Education Programme' has delivered quality, inclusive education to over 980,000 primary aged children in Northwest Syria since 2018, improving learning outcomes with a strong focus on gender equity and disability inclusion. We are providing technical assistance to the Syrian Ministry of Education to enhance national education policy and planning, building on areas of our technical expertise including inclusive education. We will continue to advocate that the process of curriculum change in Syria should be transparent and consultative, and, with other development partners, will continue to monitor significant changes.

Secondary information