Back to learning, back to rights
UNICEF and the Global Partnership for Education champion education for returnee children in Aleppo through school rehabilitation and support for non-formal education initiatives
Aleppo, Syria - After years of conflict and widespread damage to the education system in rural Aleppo, the return of displaced families has created an urgent need for safe and quality education. In response, UNICEF, supported by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), is helping rebuild children’s futures by rehabilitating schools, installing prefabricated classrooms, and ensuring that returnee children can learn in safe and supported environments.
Albarqoum school, located in southern rural Aleppo, was demolished in 2019 due to escalated violence in the area. Following coordination with the local community and the Directorate of Education, UNICEF installed prefabricated classrooms to restore access to education.
The school now has ten prefabricated classrooms, including one early childhood education (ECE) centre and an inclusive classroom for children with disabilities, along with inclusive water and sanitation facilities. It accommodates 80 girls and 95 boys in grades 1–6, in addition to 30 children in ECE. Education services are fully inclusive.
UNICEF/UNI865866/Hanna Asmar
" I love the new school! There are drawings, colouring activities, and fans to help with the heat. I'm now in Grade 6. My dream is to become a math teacher.
I returned to my village and my school, which were both destroyed. My family and I had been living in a camp, but now we've returned to our home in Alhota."
Samar, 11
Mazraet Alhota school, in the western part of rural Aleppo, was damaged in 2019 due to shelling and clashes in the area. At that time, families were displaced and only began returning between 2024 and 2025. Until its rehabilitation by UNICEF in 2025, the school posed a significant safety risk. Most children were displaced and had missed out on schooling for six years. Today, the school is open again and delivering education services to children in the area.
The school includes nine classrooms, one ECE centre, and an inclusive room for children with disabilities, along with inclusive water facilities. The school serves 165 female and 145 male students in grades 1–6, in addition to 30 ECE children.
Together with partners, UNICEF is working to repair education infrastructures and provide secure safe spaces where learning can thrive, futures can be restored, and every child has the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.
