Archive · 2 Oct 2026
Syrian students trapped between Druze leaders and Damascus
Students in Syria’s Sweida province are having trouble continuing their education.
The area is divided between the national government and Druze-led local forces.
Many families are afraid to send their children into territory controlled by the other side.
Exams were cancelled or disrupted after sectarian violence last year.
The government offered to send exam supervisors and later suggested holding exams in a government-controlled part of Sweida.
Some Druze families feared this could put students in danger or make them look disloyal.
Local officials also accused armed factions of attacking buses, though Reuters could not verify that claim.
As a result, most students remain unable to move on to the next stage of school or university.
Students in Syria’s Sweida province are missing exams and postponing university studies amid political and security tensions.
Only 150 of 13,700 school students reportedly took exams needed to advance to high school or university.
Druze leaders and Damascus have disputed where exams should be held and who should supervise them.
Many families fear both government-held territory and retaliation from local Druze factions for crossing front lines.
A proposed international roadmap to resolve the Sweida dispute had made no progress by June.
- Who
- Students and families in Syria’s Sweida province, alongside Damascus authorities and Druze-led local factions.
- What
- A political and security rift has disrupted school and university exams, leaving most students unable to continue their education.
- When
- The disruption began after violence last year and continued during the current academic year; an international roadmap had made no progress by June.
- Where
- Sweida province in southwestern Syria, including government-held areas and territory controlled by forces loyal to Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajari.
- Why
- Families fear renewed sectarian violence, government-linked forces, and reprisals from Druze factions, while Damascus and local leaders disagree over control and exam arrangements.
Damascus authorities
Druze leaders and families
Exam supervision
Damascus authorities
Damascus offered to send proctors into Sweida and said local factions threatened them, though Reuters could not independently verify the claim.
Druze leaders and families
Some Druze viewed the proposed proctors as an attempt to redeploy government forces and rejected sending students into government-held territory.
Student travel
Damascus authorities
A government-appointed official said armed factions attacked buses intended to take students to exams, a claim Reuters could not independently verify.
Druze leaders and families
Families feared students travelling to government-held areas could be targeted or labelled traitors by forces loyal to Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajari.
Political control and security
Damascus authorities
President Ahmed al-Sharaa has pledged to reunite Syrian territory under one leadership and restore relations with Western countries.
Druze leaders and families
Many Druze leaders and residents distrust Damascus because of earlier mass killings and concerns about al-Sharaa’s past links with al Qaeda.
- Province
- Sweida, southwestern Syria, near Jordan
- Druze population
- Sweida is home to many of Syria’s estimated 700,000 Druze
- Students taking exams
- 150 of 13,700 school students reportedly took the required exams this year
- Exam dispute
- Damascus proposed sending proctors and later suggested exams in a government-held part of northern Sweida
- Local authority
- Most of Sweida is controlled by forces loyal to Druze cleric Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajari
- International roadmap
- Syria, Jordan, and the United States agreed last year on a seven-step plan; the United Nations said in June there had been no progress
- Education impact
- Students studying elsewhere returned to Sweida, while university students such as Maram Abu Hamra remained unable or unwilling to return to government-held territory