Syrian children go back to school after two years in former Islamic State stronghold

Children sit in a truck in Manbij as civilians go back to their homes

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By Ayham al-Mohammad (Agence France-Presse)

Children rushed out into the schoolyard for break time on the first day of classes in the Syrian town of Manbij, ignoring the Islamic State group insignia on a nearby wall.

They were savouring more than just the late September sun 国产视频� it was their first normal schoolday after two years of brutal jihadist rule over their hometown.

国产视频淲e were so happy when we came back to school and we hope we can come every day,国产视频� said nine-year-old Ghefran, sporting a low ponytail and light pink sweater.

ISIL overran Arab-majority Manbij in early 2014, imposing the hardline interpretation of Islamic law it has adopted across its self-styled 国产视频渃aliphate国产视频� straddling Syria and Iraq.

The group shut down traditional classes at Ghefran国产视频檚 Bayram school, painting their black-and-white flag around the place and briefly holding religious courses there.

They renamed it the Abdullah Azzam School after the so-called founding father of global jihad.

国产视频淲hen the Islamic State was here, they wouldn国产视频檛 let us come to school,国产视频� Ghefran said. 国产视频淲e missed our teachers,国产视频� she told AFP. 国产视频淎nd we missed our books.国产视频澨�

Syrian Democratic Forces members walk in the rubble of Manbij

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The jihadists shut hundreds of schools in Manbij and surrounding villages, leaving about 78,000 children without formal education for two years, said the town国产视频檚 education coordinator Hassan Harun.

But in August this year, a US-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters called the Syrian Democratic Forces recaptured the town.

Harun and his team immediately began inspecting all the schools to see which ones could be renovated and used, and which were damaged beyond repair.听

Out of 390 schools in Manbij and the surrounding villages, 192 schools reopened this year, while 59 are still being restored. 听

The other schools are in areas still under ISIL control, Harun said.听

国产视频淭he opening of the school year was really beautiful,国产视频� Harun said, shaking his head and smiling.

国产视频淲herever I used to go, everyone used to ask me: when will the schools open? Everyone was so excited.国产视频�

A girl heads back to her home in the town last month

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He has dark memories of ISIL国产视频檚 rule, telling AFP that six of his colleagues were beheaded by the group after accusations they had been 国产视频渃ollaborating with the regime.国产视频�

At the Bayram school, children took a break from classes to sprint around the courtyard with a deflated football or play a game with pebbles.听

Inside, about two dozen students fidgeted on wooden benches as a pair of young teachers explained how they would squeeze two academic years into the next 10 months to help students catch up.

Little Rana al-Hussein beamed at the front of a sparse classroom, the meagre pile of books on her desk the only ones visible.

国产视频淲hen the Daesh guys were here I didn国产视频檛 study. I went to school for two or three days then I stopped,国产视频� said the nine-year-old, using the Arabic acronym for ISIL.

国产视频淚t broke my heart when they used our schools to store mines.国产视频�

After two years without an education, she will complete her third and fourth years together.

A boy on a motorbike waves as his family return home

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But that has not dimmed her ambitions: 国产视频淚 hope to get a job as a doctor so I can help people and feed them,国产视频� Rana said.听

Tarek al-Sheikh, a thin teacher at Bayram, said it pained him to see schools in his hometown locked up during ISIL国产视频檚 rule.

国产视频淚t was even more painful to see a kid trying to learn a trade, or walking down the street playing with a ball because he had nothing to do,国产视频� Sheikh said.听

While teachers are elated to be back in the classroom, they recognise there is much work to be done.听

There are very few books and school supplies, and children are so behind that students of all ages are lumped in the same classroom.听

国产视频淎s you can see some of the students who were in third or fourth grade barely remember their letters,国产视频� said Hassan Othman, a teacher in his 20s.听

国产视频淲hen schools were shut, it felt for teachers as if everything you worked for, all the labour you put in, was left behind as you sat at home.国产视频澨�

国产视频淪o you can imagine what it felt like for us to finally reap what we had sowed (when schools reopened). There is no better feeling.国产视频�

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