-
Syrian Parliament Member Discusses What He Calls the “Feminization of Education,” Saying That Education Has Lost Its "Prestige"
Syrian Parliament member Mohammed Ibrahim al-Zoubi sparked widespread criticism and controversy during a parliamentary session held on Monday, September 14, 2026, in the presence of Minister of Education Mohammed Abdul Rahman Turku, after raising the issue of the “feminization of education.”
During the session, which focused on the state of education and school curricula, al-Zoubi questioned the reasons behind the noticeable increase in the number of female teachers compared with male teachers in the education sector. He argued that the predominance of women in education had directly contributed to what he described as a decline in the “prestige of the school,” claiming that it had led to the emergence of “weak generations” and insecure personalities among students.
In this context, al-Zoubi called for measures to increase the presence of men in educational staff, arguing that this was the way to restore discipline to schools.
His comments were met with widespread rejection and criticism on social media platforms. Activists and commentators viewed them as diminishing the vital role played by female teachers in the educational process and as placing responsibility for broader educational challenges on them.
Educational and economic experts, for their part, explained that the decline in the number of male teachers was not solely the result of employment policies. Rather, they said it was a direct consequence of difficult economic conditions and low wages, which have pushed men to seek alternative professions offering incomes more compatible with current living costs.
The controversy has brought renewed attention to contentious issues surrounding Syria’s education sector and the challenges facing teaching staff amid the country’s current economic conditions.
