The Assad regime is currently discussing the return of “military education” to the school curriculum in Syria after it was canceled in 2003 following decades of instruction in classrooms.
According to the pro-regime Damascus Now website on Wednesday, quoting senior Baath Party official Hilal al-Hilal, “Returning military education was discussed in a way appropriate with the current situation and cultural development.”
This statement was met with a number of comments rejecting the proposal, some of them made mockingly, saying it was only part of a series of humiliations and insults which young Syrians suffer in the course of their military service. One of them wrote: “Why should a guy have to wait to turn 19 to be humiliated… let’s start when he’s young.”
Another comment indicated that returning the subject stood in contrast with advanced curriculums in other countries which ensure the dignity of individuals and that they are not beaten, a reference to the corporal punishment which the military education trainers have for decades resorted to in Syrian schools. “No worse than that is the cow encouraging beating. The rest of the world bans beating animals and we even encourage beating humans,” one comment said.
Another commented, saying: “What cultural development are you talking about, friend??? Our country is one of the most corrupt… You know cultural development is wrong… the development is securing a dignified life for the people and modesty, not driving the latest cars while the people are starving.”
The Assad regime in May 2003 canceled military education in school curriculums, replacing it in the last three grades of primarily school with classroom activities overseen by the Revolutionary Youth Federation.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
