Type: Policy Brief

Date: October 30, 2025

Summary

After more than a decade of displacement, many Syrian children returning to Syria lack sufficient proficiency in Arabic, the sole language of instruction in public schools. This language gap poses serious risks to educational access, learning outcomes, social integration, and long-term reintegration, while also placing additional burdens on families and the education system.

The policy brief assesses three policy options:
* Unassisted reintegration into an Arabic-only system.
* assisted reintegration within an Arabic-only system.
* Multilingual parallel education pathways.

The analysis concludes that an Arabic-only education system with assisted reintegration offers the most effective, equitable, and sustainable approach. This option preserves Arabic as a shared national language while recognising the need for temporary, targeted language support to ensure equal access for returning children.

The recommended approach introduces a multi-tiered referral system that assesses children’s Arabic proficiency at enrolment and provides time-bound support matched to individual needs. Interventions include training bilingual parents as language assistants, deploying multilingual support teachers, short preparatory courses, and complementary digital or community-based support where appropriate. Over time, children transition fully into mainstream Arabic-medium education, with bilingualism recognised as an asset rather than a barrier.

Overall, the brief argues that treating language reintegration as a national responsibility—rather than a private family burden—strengthens equity, social cohesion, and educational outcomes, while offering better value for money and stronger long-term system sustainability.