Antioch’s Patriarch John X met with Syria’s Minister of Education, Muhammad Abdel Rahman Turko, to discuss the role of education in strengthening society and shaping the younger generation. The meeting was held as the Syrian authorities move forward with efforts to unify school education across all provinces, the education ministry’s website reported.

The minister briefed the Patriarch on plans to ensure that all children in the country can access education, while also strengthening the educational and character-building component of school curricula. Starting with the new school year, schools are expected to make more active use of spaces intended for extracurricular activities, aimed at developing students’ social skills and moral values.

For his part, Patriarch John X praised the ministry’s role in building the national education system, underscoring the importance of science and education in forming a person’s character and reinforcing social unity.

The discussion comes at a time when Syrian authorities are working to create a single nationwide education system. For the 2026/27 school year, a unified curriculum is expected to be used in all Syrian provinces. Authorities aim to establish common educational foundations for regions that, in previous years, operated under different rules and programs.