Kouteba Al-Khalil is the Practice Lead for Education at the Syria Development Centre. He is a specialist in education planning, child protection, and safeguarding, with extensive experience in strategy development, capacity building, and programme management across emergency, early recovery, and development settings. He has held key advisory roles, including with the Aid Fund for Syria (AFS) and the FCDO-funded Syria Education Programme with Chemonics International. Kouteba has played a central role in establishing education and safeguarding systems in Syria and the MENA region. His expertise covers education policy and governance, protection in emergencies, early childhood development, social-emotional learning, resilience, and mental health and psychosocial support.