❗️Syrian authorities alter school textbooks to erase female representation and civic education According to a report published by The New Arab, Syria's current education ministry defended curriculum revisions on Monday that systematically alter illustrations of women, remove historical artworks, and scrub lessons on democracy and civic participation. Syrian organization Ta'akkad verified numerous alterations in textbooks for the 2026–2027 academic year, revealing that female characters were either replaced entirely by male figures or modified to wear hijabs, while depictions of ancient archaeological statues—including Phoenician and Mesopotamian sculptures—were visually censored or excised. In response to growing backlash from educators and women's rights advocates, the Ministry of Education insisted the revisions were limited to removing so-called 'Baathist regime propaganda,' claiming the changes aim to respect traditional societal values and protect social cohesion. The curriculum changes extend far beyond visual edits, reflecting a broader ideological transformation under the new authorities. Entire chapters in middle-school social studies textbooks covering local governance, human rights, media literacy, and democratic participation have been deleted without replacement. Educational experts highlighted that by obscuring historical artifacts and excluding diverse depictions of women in professional roles, the state risks portraying art, culture, and gender equality as incompatible with national heritage.